Under My Skin
by Woman of Rohan
Summary: Chapters 8 and 9 up! Epilogue coming soon. Sometimes love is like a bullet, or two, to the head... quite literally if you're the Courier. A F!Courier/Benny series, taking place during the events of New Vegas. Arcade friendship on the side.
1. Pistol Packin' Mama

**AN: This is the first part of an ongoing piece of fiction focusing on my Courier and her unlikely love affair with Benny. There will be a few more chapters chronicling their relationship during the events of New Vegas, and perhaps a bit afterward. Rated M for adult concepts, occasional language, and a bit of naughtiness. **

**Please review! I'm trying something new with this couple, so your feedback is always greatly appreciated :) **

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**Chapter 1: Pistol Packin' Mama**

As Anne rode the elevator to The Tops' 13th floor, she felt the first semblance of doubt beginning to override her optimistic thoughts.

_ I can't believe I'm actually doing this._

The Courier harbored no delusions that her ideas were sane, or even plausible half the time. But this was something else even for her. It wasn't that she hadn't bedded people to get what she wanted, she just previously hadn't done it in such a high-security area. Arcade was probably right. According to him, her idea was "nuttier than a Bighorner dropping" and now that she thought of it, likely just as filthy.

Her self-preserving doctor friend had attempted to dissuade her from following through with her ludicrous plan, of course. And what was the said plan again? Ah, yes: seduce Benny into a false sense of security, get him alone, and then pull the trigger. Anne had to admit it sounded a lot crazier than it had earlier. Funny how impulsiveness could leave such a nasty aftertaste.

The rickety old elevator seemed to take its sweet time reaching its destination, so Anne leaned back against the wall and mulled over the events of the last half hour. Her friend's words still floated around in her head:

"Not that my opinion will matter here anyway, but this all sounds a little risky," Arcade had said, his voice hardly above a whisper as they strolled around The Tops.

"Well, someone's gotta put the "risky" in "frisky"... might as well be me."

Arcade hadn't been amused by her clever play on words, settling himself as comfortably as he could among the casino's gambling drunkards. He was clearly reluctant to be involved with such a sordid affair.

"I worry about you sometimes, Anne. I truly do."

"I'll be in and out," she had said, patting him on the shoulder. "Promise. I just gotta get close enough to pull the trigger, then we'll kick this place like a bad habit. Okay?"

"Well, I'm here if you need me. Just please be careful."

"Hey, careful is my middle name!"

Arcade had merely sighed.

"Judging from our brief history together, I highly doubt that."

From there, Anne had snagged Benny rather easily, despite some initial doubts regarding the morality of sleeping with a broad whom he'd previously attempted to assassinate. A little cleavage and self-deprecating behavior could go a long way with a guy like him. He'd given her the key to his suite, swaggering off with a strut that only a man with the promise of "getting some" could achieve . Anne was left to follow his lead and meet him in his room. Nobody could interfere. No bodyguards, no pesky hotel patrons... just Benny and herself, mano a mano.

_Just the way I like it._

The elevator finally gave a little ding, alerting Anne to her destination. Good thing, too, because she couldn't stand another minute of the obnoxious, jazzy elevator tunes that played in the background, competing with her devious little thoughts.

The hallway leading to Benny's suite felt long enough to be death row, and Anne couldn't help but wonder how many scantily clad bimbos had made the same walk of shame.

At last, she arrived at the large double-doors that lead to his bachelor pad. Anne paused for a moment to fiddle with the room key and smooth out her red, silken dress. Then, she unlocked the door and tread lightly, taking in the scenery. Benny's room was nicely furnished, with all sorts of pre-war knickknacks and paraphernalia, and it lingered with an aroma of pricey cigarettes mixed with cheap cologne. It was definitely not Anne's thing. As she tried not to gag at the rather overpowering stench, Benny rounded the corner, looking quite ravenous as he quickly closed the distance between them.

"Hey, pussycat," he said, in what she assumed was his bedroom voice. "Glad to see you made it. Are you ready for Benny to show you the Tops?"

_Wow. So much for foreplay._

He slid an arm around her waist as Anne forced a smile. The image of a wildcat getting ready to pounce on its prey was suddenly brought to mind. And with it, a new nickname.

"Of course, tiger." She tapped his nose playfully . "But patience is a virtue, you know. You got a restroom around here?"

"Sure." He shrugged. Benny seemed mildly disappointed by the postponement of their little tryst. "Right over there through the bedroom."

"I'll be back in a flash. Just give me a second to slip into something a little more comfortable."

She gave a suggestive wink and Benny's mouth formed a little "o" in understanding.

"Ooh, I dig, baby. Just don't keep the Ben-man waiting!"

Anne kissed him on the cheek just to tease him, and proceeded to slide over to the restroom. She could practically feel his eyes burning into her backside as he stared.

_Keep staring, sugar._

Once in the bathroom, Anne slid out of her dress to reveal the slinky nightie that she was wearing beneath it. She bought it just for the occasion. It was an awful piece of lingerie, really... lacy and girly and ridiculous. Nothing like what she'd typically wear for dancing to the horizontal tango, but Benny seemed the type to enjoy such a thing. However, Anne's game-plan assured that he wouldn't be enjoying it for long. With a smirk upon her face, she reached into her cleavage to adjust the strap that cleverly concealed a tiny pistol there. She pulled it out, assuring that the safety was off and that her little surprise wouldn't cause any premature mishaps.

_You're in for a real treat tonight, Benny-baby._

When her gun was back in its hiding spot, she leaned against the sink and regarded herself in the dirty mirror. Anne was generally content with her dolled-up appearance, though she did admit that it was quite the stark contrast to how she'd been looking over the course of the last few weeks. Her gray eyes were striking, her fair cheeks had an abnormal blush to them, and her pink lips were now an alluring shade of red, all compliments of make-up. The only thing that remained the same was her hair, which was still kept in a tight ponytail at the back of her head. She released it, allowing her sleek blonde locks to frame her face and touch her shoulders.

_Ah, much better._

As she emerged from the bathroom, she tried not to laugh at the sight of Benny impatiently pacing by the neatly-made bed. He had removed his infamous checked jacket, revealing the slim and compact figure beneath it. To her surprise, his jacket gave him the appearance of a much more intimidating man.

_So, it's not all just for show, huh?_

Anne cleared her throat to alert Benny to her presence while she leaned in the doorway, doing her best seductress pose.

"Wowie wow wow, pussycat," Benny said when he noticed her change of attire. He certainly wasn't subtle as his eyes bore hungrily into every inch of her. "I dig the ensemble."

"You like it?"

She glided over to him with as much grace as she could muster, wrapping her arms around his neck. Benny toyed with one of the straps of her nightie as he slid a finger along her shoulder and down her chest.

"I can't wait to see what you're hiding under this pretty little number."

"Oh," Anne grinned. "You have no idea..."

Without further ado, Anne grabbed Benny by his tie, tugging him close to her as she captured his mouth in a kiss that was more eager than she had anticipated. His mouth tasted pleasant, quite the contrary to what she had expected, especially for a smoker. Then again, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been romantic with anyone so attractive.

Benny's hands were already fumbling up and down her exposed flesh, grasping and groping wherever they pleased. Anne groped right back and suddenly had the wild urge to rid him of his disgustingly crisp white dress shirt. Anne unbuttoned his shirt with no complaints from Benny, and she allowed her fingertips to trace a path from his lightly muscled pectorals, down his smooth abdomen, and further downwards to the patch of hair that surrounded his navel and disappeared into his pants. Again, a surprise. Benny was in decent shape.

_Not bad, tiger._

As she rested her palms upon his chest, Benny's mouth wandered from her lips and down to her neck, where he proceeded to give her one hell of a hickey. Anne tried her hardest not to groan. Although he was a little rough, it felt damn good. His kisses went south yet again as he showered her chest with affection. He nipped at the sensitive skin just above her breasts, his hands becoming a bit more adventurous in the process. An alarm immediately went off in Anne's head as he pawed dangerously close to the concealed pistol.

_Figures he'd be a boob-man. Shit!_

In her panic, Anne grabbed Benny's crotch and squeezed, jolting him away from his wandering kisses. His eyes were dilated as they met her gaze, thick brows raised in both surprise and amusement.

"Pussycat, you are one naughty broad."

"And I can only get naughtier," she said wickedly. Anne deftly rid him of his belt and unbuttoned his trousers. She slid them off of his hips and Benny stepped out of his pants, leaving him standing in only his underwear and his unbuttoned shirt.

"Can't wait to get to the goods, eh?" he quipped. "Well I can't blame-oh!"

Benny released a little moan as Anne plunged a hand down his boxers, effectively shutting him up.

_Still got the magic touch._

He was quite vocal as she worked, clearly enjoying it, and soon he was practically begging for release.

"Baby doll," Benny groaned, head tilted backwards in pleasure. "You're killing me, here..."

_Precisely._

Anne stopped torturing him for a second in favor of pressing her body intimately close to his, staring into his chestnut eyes. He really did have quite the handsome face. It was a shame that his little playmates would soon be cleaning his brain matter off the walls.

"How about we take this to the bed?" she breathed into his ear and nibbled, while her fingers snaked around his back to scratch a trail from his shoulder blades all the way down to his backside. She could feel his skin raise in goosebumps at her touch.

"You've got it, baby."

With that, Anne pushed him backwards onto the mattress and straddled him. She grasped the hair at the nape of his neck, crushing him towards her as their kisses became more urgent, almost animalistic in nature.

_Damn, he's a real handful. Too bad I won't get to the grand finale... I bet he's good._

She bit his bottom lip hard, issuing a sound from Benny that was pleasure mingled with pain. He was probably the kind of guy that liked to be tied to the bedpost and spanked before a good round. It was a tempting notion, but she resisted, settling instead for a little tongue-to-tongue. He responded by running a palm up her inner thigh, but she swatted his hand away and broke their kiss.

"Uh uh, good things come to those who wait. If you play your chips right, you might cash out."

"Baby," he frowned. "You're a real party pooper. I want to go for the jackpot right now."

Anne put all of her weight onto her palms and leaned forward, purposely creating a great deal of cleavage and giving Benny quite the show.

"Wow, great charlies. Why don't you give 'em a shake for the Ben-man?"

She did just that, and Benny was practically shivering with delight. Anne slipped a strap over her shoulder and pouted pin-up style, pleased that he was falling for the bait.

"Is this what you want, handsome?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

"Fine. I guess you've earned yourself a little show. Close your eyes. And no peeking!"

He did as he was told, a permanent grin plastered onto his features. Anne reached between her breasts and and pulled out the cleverly concealed weapon as quietly as she could.

"Now open them."

Benny's expression immediately transformed from one of excitement to one of confusion when he saw barrel of the gun aimed directly at his face. It was priceless, really.

_Pity, and here I am without my camera..._

"What the hell!" he shouted, bolting upright. "Did you play me for some kinda chump?"

"I should have guessed the key to your heart was accessed through your pants," Anne scoffed, immediately dropping her seductress voice in favor of a much more abrasive tone. "How original."

"You bitch! I should have known it was too good to be true."

"Most things in life are."

"How the hell did you sneak that past security?"

She smirked at him, the gun not wavering from his face.

"Tiger, these charlies aren't just for show."

"Well played, toots, well played."

Benny stiffened and attempted to move, but Anne pressed him down firmly. She had powerful thighs resulting from years of traversing the Mojave on foot. There was no way he was getting out from under her.

"I've got a twitchy trigger finger, Benny. You move another inch, and your brains will be painting the walls."

Benny's face remained neutral despite her threat, and Anne bet that he was one hell of a poker player. But as she looked into his eyes, that lovely sea of chestnut brown... she saw precisely what she had longed to see for so long. He may have kept unfathomably cool under such circumstances, but something in his eyes was burning hot with the terror of having absolutely no control over the current situation.

"Okay, baby, let's keep it smooth..." he said, palms skyward in surrender as he relaxed against the headboard. "There's no need for violence. If you wanted to talk, you coulda just said so from square one."

"Oh, of course!" Anne laughed. "Because that's exactly what you offered me back in Goodsprings. I have half a mind to put a bullet between your eyes right now."

She flicked the safety off and Benny narrowed his eyes at her, but he didn't flinch.

"Alright, baby," he sighed. "I ain't afraid to admit that the odds aren't in my favor here. You've got a crazy drop on me. If killin's what you came for, this would definitely be the time. But I'm gonna have to ask that you hear me out first. You have no idea what you're in the middle of here."

"Then you'd better start filling me in. What's this scheme of yours?"

Anne shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable for the ensuing conversation, but keeping Benny pinned.

"Broad strokes? Change in management."

"What, you want to rule Vegas or something?"

"Me and the Chairmen, we've got pizazz. Those other degenerates couldn't swing this town if they wanted to."

"And how do you intend to do that? Tons of hairgel and fancy suits aren't going to get you very far."

"We're more than just a bunch of classy cats, baby. I've got a surefire plan that'll put me and the Chairmen back where we belong. We're called "The Tops" for a reason. I want that to stay true."

"Uh huh. Go on."

"The winning hand is in the securitrons. I need a way to control them and beef up their hitting power. If I get those two ducks in a row, the other contenders can't stand a chance."

"And you're willing to kill for this noble cause?"

To her surprise, Benny's features actually softened. He was either remorseful over what he'd done, or he was a fantastic actor. Anne guessed the latter.

"Baby, I understand if you're sore," he pouted. "What I did to you was rotten, and I made an awful first impression. Do you really think it was an easy decision to put a bullet in that blonde little head of yours? Woulda been a lot easier if you were born an ugly broad, but you're pretty as a picture."

He flashed her a winning smile, to which she merely rolled her eyes.

"You really know how to woo the ladies." Anne decided to ignore the fact that his eyes were temporarily fixated on her cleavage. "You still didn't have to go through with it."

"I don't think you understand the level of game here," he said, aimlessly running a hand through his slick black hair. "If you think that the NCR or the Legion or even Mr. House wouldn't do the same... then those bullets really must've scrambled your brain. I needed that chip at whatever the costs."

"Why is it so damned important?"

"The chip is the ace in the hole here, baby. It has the potential to really get the securitrons kickin'. Thing is, I need to find a way to make the thing work."

"Well, you won't have to worry yourself over that. Hand it over."

Anne extended a palm to him, while the other hand kept the pistol trained on his face.

"Hey, cool your jets. It needs to be in good hands, ie, me, not you. You can get a juicy cut of the action, but the chip stays with me."

"No deal. Give it to me now, or I'll take it from your cold, dead hands."

Benny looked thoroughly amused. If he was truly threatened, he wasn't letting it show. It was enough to make her want to punch him in the nose.

_The smug little bastard!_

"You drive a hard bargain, baby. But I think that we can work together on this. What do you say? This is an 18 karat opportunity. I think you and I can handle this caper if we put our minds to it."

Anne regarded him suspiciously with a fair eyebrow raised.

"What makes you think I'm the woman for the job?

"Well it's not everyday that I meet a broad as driven as me."

"You're nothing like me," she spat. "You're a piece of shit, that's what you are."

"Hey, don't point the finger of blame at me when you've got your fair share of dirty laundry," he said, anger finally apparent in his voice. "I heard about your reputation, sister. To tell me you ain't got blood on your hands would be big fat lie, with a capital L. Our reasons may have been different, but the results were just the same. "

Anne contemplated his words, already feeling an uncomfortable heat burning within her chest. Benny was trying to rile her, and he was succeeding in the task. The whole "we're not so different" card, ah, she knew it well. It pained her within her very soul to admit that it was true: she had cold blood on her hands, and plenty of it. She supposed that being on the receiving end of the Wasteland's brutality had changed her perspective. Anne didn't like it one bit, but she had to admit that Benny made a fair point.

_Hell, why can't things ever be easy? Maybe I can make the most of this..._

"So what have you heard of me?" she asked coyly, deciding to steer the conversation along. She was irked when Benny laughed at her question.

"Baby, where do I begin? The Silver Rush in Freeside? And the Omertas? You don't exactly go postal on a whole bunch of big name players and expect people, especially important people, not to catch wind of it . Vegas is scared of you."

"Are you scared of me, Benny?"

Anne leaned in, her eyes narrowing into mere slits as she pressed the barrel of the gun directly against his forehead. His brow crinkled, eyebrows raised.

"No," he said calmly. "You don't scare me. You may be doing lots of things to me right now, pussycat, but scaring me ain't one of 'em. And I've got a few more in mind..."

He was ogling her body again, so she smacked the butt of her gun against the side of his skull.

"Aaagh!"

"Next time it'll be a bullet."

"Ow, goddamn!" He rubbed his temple, which was sure to form a nice welt. "You're a mean bitch, you know that? And that may be just what I need. So what do you say? Last chance, pussycat. You and me see this shindig through, and you might be lookin' at the new King of Vegas, and I might be lookin' at its next Queen."

Anne squeezed the trigger a little tighter, her hands slick with perspiration and her heart pounding in her ears. She could end it now and get on with her life. It would be quick, easy, a nightmare finished... but the prospect of siding with the head of the Chairmen was far too tempting for her to resist. It was risky, of course, just as Arcade had warned. But what was life without getting your hands a little dirty from time to time? Benny may have a few tricks up his checked sleeves, but Anne had some, too.

_And I've always loved an evenly matched game._

Benny looked up at her expectantly, with a certain vulnerability about him that she found quite irresistible. The sudden rush that Anne felt between her legs was both uncomfortable and unexpected. She wasn't sure if it was due to her power over him, or the fact that she was merely straddling a half-naked and rather attractive man, but one thing was painfully apparent.

_Well, it's like they say... sometimes you have to sleep with the enemy in order to get things done. In this case, literally._

"Fine," she said, finally surrendering her weapon to her side. "You've got yourself a deal. But before we conclude this little meeting, I just want to let you know that if you go back on your word, I will kill you. And I swear to God, my bullets won't leave you walking out of your grave."

"Ouch." He winced. "Low blow."

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, baby."

A beat or two passed as the two of them eyed each other. The tension in the air seemed thick enough to choke on.

"So, uh..." Anne started. "What do we do, shake on it?"

She shrugged, still in quite the compromising position sitting upon Benny's hips. His gaze was fixed upon scantily clad figure once again, and he tentatively ventured a hand along her thigh and up her skirt. This time, Anne didn't resist

"I think I've got a better idea to make this thing official," he said. "Seal the deal and all that jazz. The key is in the ignition, baby. Why don't you drive us all the way to naked town?"

Ridiculous euphemisms aside, Anne found it difficult to resist as she ran her palms up Benny's tan chest, where they came to wrap around his neck in a sturdy embrace. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Naked town, huh? You sure you're not gonna run outta gas?"

"I never do, pussycat."

"Well neither do I, tiger..."

As their mouths met eagerly once again, Benny's hands gripped her backside and she clawed her fingertips into his shoulders. They struggled for dominance for a minute or two before Anne gave in, allowing Benny to overpower her. He hovered above her with his face buried in the crook of her neck, breathing into her ear and sending pleasant tingles all the way down her body.

"You and me gonna accomplish great things, baby."

_Oh, I've no doubt. And this sure beats shaking hands._

It was the last thing he said before they became entangled in the bed sheets, wearing nothing but smiles upon their faces as they ravished each other into the early morning hours.


	2. That's Life I Guess

**AN: Hey, all! Here's chapter 2, in which Anne wakes up to a rather disheartening discovery and speaks with Arcade about her troubles. Please review and let me know what you think! :) **

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**Chapter 2: That's Life I Guess**

Anne awoke with a stretch and a contented sigh. Although the activities of the previous hours were just a wild blur in her mind, the sensations running through her body were still quite real. She hadn't made love like that in... well, a longer time than she'd be willing to admit.

_Definitely a night I won't be forgetting any time soon. _

Benny had passed out pretty quickly after they'd managed to stop pawing and clawing at each other like depraved animals, but Anne had remained awake for a while, observing him as he slept. With her chin resting upon his chest and wearing nothing but tangled bedsheets, she had enjoyed the symphony of his little snoring noises coupled with the even sound of his breathing. He didn't look so tough when he was out like a light. It was as if he was an entirely different person, no guard up, to big-talk.. just a man who was supremely tired after a marathon of hey-hey, as he affectionately called it.

Anne rolled over with the intent on teasing him and perhaps initiating a sexy wake-up call but immediately froze. Disappointment sank like a sack of bricks deep in the pit of her stomach at the sight of the empty mattress beside her. She immediately righted herself, gathering blankets around her as she frantically gazed around the room for any sight of him. If it were any other man, she may have entertained the notion of breakfast in bed or perhaps some morning coffee, but the dread in her heart told her that reality was far from such flights of fancy.

_Please tell me I'm not that goddamn stupid..._

She ran her fingers through her unkempt hair, tempted to pull a few strands out in the process. Her gaze suddenly focused upon a note laying on the nightstand, carefully planted on her pile of clothes. With her heart threatening to pound right out of her chest, Anne reached over and grabbed the piece of paper, allowing her eyes to skim Benny's neatly scrawled note.

_"Pussycat,_

_Thanks for showing this cat the best hey-hey he's ever ever! Talk about platinum in the sack, toots! Where'd you learn that 18-karat trick with the heels of your feet? You didn't just make my toes curl, they popped off and rolled under the bed! __I wish I could stay for another round, but this gent's got places to be, things to do. You showing up has forced my hand, baby! The time to act is now! I won't be around for awhile, but if everything works out right, you and me are a date, got it? Wouldn't miss it for all the caps in Vegas._

_Now don't get clingy and try to follow me._

_Ciao, __Benny._

_PS: I took a little token of our time together, so I could have something to remember you by while I'm gone.. Hope you don't mind! Ring-a-ding ding, babydoll!"_

The rage that suddenly formed within Anne was enough to make the entirety of The Tops go positively nuclear. She was ready to explode, or at least shoot something.

_Fuck! I should have killed him when I had my chance, he's probably halfway to California by now!_

She didn't have anything to shoot, so she settled for pounding all of her pent-up frustration into her pillow before throwing it across the room. A couple of Benny's belongings were reduced to mere fragments in the process.

_Satisfying, but not satisfying enough._

Anne considered trashing his entire room, but figured that it would only draw attention, so she gathered her pile of clothing and hastily dressed. She paused only when she noticed that her panties were missing. The last bit of his love-note finally dawned upon her as she rolled her eyes skyward as if looking for some help from the powers above.

_Great, so I'm a masochist and my "boyfriend" is a klepto. We make a wonderful pair! _

Once (most) her clothes were on, she scrambled out the door, keeping her pistol tucked safely away and out of sight. If Anne thought the hallway leading to the elevator was long before, she was mistaken. Several hotel patrons noticed as she walked out of Benny's room and they began to whisper behind her back. A couple of them sent suspicious looks her way. She'd have given anything for a Stealth Boy in that moment.

She managed a strained smile through her embarrassment, very much wanting to punch all of them in the face, but she didn't have time for that. The more time she wasted, the farther away Benny could be. She had to find Arcade and...

_Oh, shit._

Anne stopped dead in her tracks, cursing her own selfishness. The poor doctor probably thought that she was dead by now. She hoped that he'd returned to the Lucky 38, but she knew that he was too loyal for that. Not only did she have to make the walk of shame that she so dreaded, but now she had to explain herself to Arcade, of all people. She smacked her palm to her forehead, tempted to hide out in Benny's suite for a while longer.

_Why can't these things ever go exactly as planned?_

The elevator down to the casino floor still seemed to take an ungodly amount of time reaching its destination. She tapped her foot impatiently the whole way down, and at last the doors opened, freeing her from her temporary prison as she stepped out into the dimly-lit casino floor.

Even through the haze of cigarette smoke that lingered in the air, it didn't take Anne long to seek out Arcade. He was the only person favoring a labcoat instead of a fancy suit in the ritzy casino. He appeared to be struggling with all of his might to remain alert at one of the slot machines, his palm barely supporting his head as he nodded off. She came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump quite visibly.

"Ahh! I swear I didn't do it!"

Anne crossed her arms and shook her head at his paranoia. When he realized that it was only her, he relaxed in an instant, staring at her through half-lidded eyes.

"Oh, Anne," he sighed in relief. He adjusted his glasses, which were crooked upon his nose. "I was beginning to think you were dead."

_Totally called it. _

"Nice to see you too, buddy."

"I see you're still in one piece. May I inquire as to how it went?"

Arcade was scrutinizing her appearance, Anne could tell. She definitely did not like the way his analytical gaze seemed to be peering straight through her like a human x-ray. Anne was grateful that he had no such powers, or else he'd find that she was currently going commando.

_Awkward_.

"Funny you should ask," she said, scratching her arm absentmindedly. "You uh... haven't seen Benny come down here at all, have you?"

"Whoa, wait a second, you mean you didn't get the chance to finish him off?"

_Well, when you put it that way..._

She spared Arcade the innuendo and instead decided to remain quiet. Maybe he wouldn't figure it out, and she'd just lie to him about the whole thing.

"What the hell were you doing up there all that time?"

Anne occupied herself with staring at a particularly intriguing stain on the carpet of the casino floor. Somebody had made quite the mess, but she was certain that it was nothing compared to the stain that was soon to mar Arcade's perception of her. She knew she couldn't hope to fool his sharp intellect and quick wit. He was one smart cookie.

"Wait a minute…" Arcade seemed to answer his own question, his expression quickly transforming from one of scholarly inquiry to one of absolute disgust. "Dilated pupils, flushed cheeks, disheveled hair... my powers of deduction need not look further. I have to say, I've been in some fairly uncomfortable situations during my time. But I think this one takes the proverbial cake..."

He trailed off, looking as if he had a very bad taste in his mouth.

"You know, I'm really starting to regret having a doctor for a companion," Anne huffed. "Can we just get out of here?"

She grabbed him by the elbow, hauling him upwards as she gestured in the direction of the exit.

"Even without the telltale signs of post-coitus," Arcade countered calmly. "I would have been able to figure it out. You don't need to be a physician to read guilt when it's written all over somebody's face."

Anne could feel an unexpected fire rising into her cheeks. Arcade typically didn't get so defensive around her. She supposed she deserved it, but she wasn't used to being around people who judged her actions so harshly. Normally the only person she answered to was herself.

"Arcade, _please _just shut up and let's leave, okay?"

"Oh, by all means, lead the way!"

Anne fumed all the way out of The Tops with Arcade in tow. Once outside, she brushed past the hookers that lined the strip, ignoring their filthy remarks directed to both her and her companion, and walked down the block towards the Lucky 38. On the steps leading up to the casino entrance she finally collapsed. With her burden feeling too heavy to bear, she buried her face in her palms, seething with rage, regret, resentment... and feeling like the biggest piece of Brahmin shit on the face of the earth.

_How could I have let this happen? _

The consequences of her actions were only just beginning to dawn on her. She needed a stiff drink. Or better yet, some Abraxo cleaner to simply clean away the previous night from her already-sordid little track record.

Arcade may not have been the best "people-person," as he openly admitted on more than a few occasions, but it didn't mean that he was blind to the sorrows of the downtrodden. He paced back and forth for a minute or two before he sat down beside her, his blue eyes no longer judging her, but instead filled with a gentle clarity and a willingness to help.

"If only we all had the shoulders of Atlas…" he sighed, giving her a sidelong glance.

"What?"

"Atlas? You know, the Greek deity forced to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders?"

Anne merely stared as Arcade raised an expectant eyebrow.

"No? Nothing? Nevermind, then. I'll drop the metaphor. Listen, Anne... I can't say that I understand your whole obsession, so do you care to fill me in? I'm not trying to poke and prod... and you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But it's nice to at least know what page we're on here."

Anne shook her head, refusing to look him in the eye.

"How can I even begin to explain myself without you thinking I'm a total mental case?"

"Well, since you haven't yet attempted to snuff a ground-up Cazador poison gland or barbecue a giant rat with a Heavy Incinerator, I'd say I've got elbow room to reserve my judgment."

Anne gave him a half-smile. His sarcasm always had a way of making things look brighter, as strange as it sounded. They really were quite the pair. A very mismatched pair often at odds with each other, but a pair nonetheless.

"I thought I had things under control, Arcade," she sighed. "I thought I could play at Benny's game and win, but I guess I underestimated him."

"... and the fact that he shot you in the head didn't factor into how this whole scenario might pan out?"

"Well, sure it did. I mean... oh hell, I don't even know any more."

Anne hung her head. Of course she had considered the possible outcomes, but when Benny had promised that Vegas would be in the palm of her hand, it felt so damn _real_. The little bastard had known she was hooked the entire time,too, while she dared to believe his filthy lies. And the worst part of it all was if she'd been in his shoes, she'd have done the same damn thing. He was smart for running. A coward, too, but somehow she didn't blame him. It was difficult to be truly cross with someone who had the same old tricks up their sleeve. She was pissed at him, sure, but despite it all, the person she was left feeling the most enraged with was herself. Temporarily, she had gained control, and in her selfish pleasure she'd lost it, just like that. And with it, The Platinum Chip.

Normally she'd have been quicker, smarter, more cunning... and she'd done the one thing she promised herself to never, ever do: she'd let a guy get to her head.

_Just like a damn bullet._

Anne wasn't about to tell Arcade that she'd been outsmarted because a guy was good lookin' and great in the sack, so she began to ramble instead.

" I know it was a pretty piss-poor decision on my part. I should have known better, but the chance that it could possibly happen, that I could maybe rule Vegas and make it Independent... "

_Is it so wrong to want such a thing? _

"Rule Vegas?"

Arcade definitely looked a bit perplexed as she continued.

"I know I probably sound ridiculous," Anne scoffed. "But goddamn, do you know how tempting that is? For someone of my background to be offered such a chance? I mean, I think it's pretty plain to see that before this whole New Vegas thing, I was a nobody. I wouldn't have been missed if I died in Goodsprings. Hell, I doubt anybody would miss me now."

The doctor frowned deeply, his brow furrowing behind his glasses.

"You and I both know that's entirely untrue."

"Well, thanks. I just feel like such a huge fuck-up right now."

"I wouldn't go as far as to say that," Arcade said. "You certainly can't expect me to applaud your lack of foresight, but everyone makes mistakes, sometimes pretty big ones. ___Cuiusvis hominis est errare; nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare._"

"Translation please?" Anne wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to him randomly spewing philosophical quotes in Latin.

"Any man can make a mistake, but only a fool keeps making the same one___._"

Anne knew that the phrase was meant to be reassuring, but it really wasn't.

"Learn from it, and move on," Arcade continued. "Next time, though. Just please inform me in advance if I'm merely going to be an accessory to your escapades, okay? Sitting around the casino for half an evening worrying about your safety isn't really my idea of fun."

Anne finally turned to look at him, her gray eyes meeting his. She saw a pain there that she hadn't before, and she realized that it was because of her. She'd made the poor man fear for her life and in all her fury and self-loathing, she hadn't even noticed. It was Anne's turn to frown.

"So you really thought I might have died?"

"Well, he shot you once, didn't he?" Arcade shrugged. "Who knows what could have happened to you?"

"Damn, I didn't mean to make you worry like that. I won't blame you if you don't want to travel with me any more."

"And return to my plush corner office in Freeside?" Arcade allowed a brief smile to tug at the corners of his mouth. "While I might disapprove of your methods, your intents are still nobler than most. And I suppose that siding with Benny is still better than siding with the Legion. Lesser of two evils, if you will."

"Geez, Arcade," Anne laughed sardonically. "Don't give me too much credit. I was also really randy. It was like putting a 4-course meal in front of a starving person."

She paused to give him a playful punch in the arm, and Arcade winced.

"Ow."

"...and it's not like I'm gonna get anything from _you _anytime soon."

"Good to see you bounce back fast enough to torment me," he said, only half-serious as he rubbed his arm. "So, what do we do now?"

Anne rose to her feet, her expression one of sheer determination as she stood in the shadows cast by the Lucky 38. She'd lingered long enough. There were things to do, people to meet, and asses to kick. One in particular came to mind.

"That chip is important, Arcade. We're gonna hunt down Benny and get it back if it's the last thing we do. I swear to God, I won't let him win this game."

Arcade remained seated, shaking his head tiredly.

"Tenacious as always, I see."

"Yeah," she said, winking at him over her shoulder. "And I never give up."

Anne had promised that she'd kill Benny if he ever double-crossed her. And if there was one thing Anne never did aside from giving up, it was go back on her word.

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**AN: Sorry there was only mention of Benny in this chapter, guys and gals! But he _does _run off for awhile in the game... plus, I felt that it was important to establish a relationship between Anne and Arcade seeing as they're companions and all. Have no fear, Benny shall return in chapter 3! ;D**


	3. Ghost of a Chance

**AN: Benny is back in this chapter! ;D This one took a lot longer than expected, so my apologies for the delay. I kept nitpicking before I was finally somewhat content with it. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy it and PLEASE continue to review so I know how I'm doing or if you desire more. Sometimes I just need that reassurance. Reviews really inspire me to keep on writing :)**

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**Chapter 3: Ghost of a Chance**

If Benny's intent was to disappear, then he was a regular Houdini.

Since his escape from The Tops and their amorous evening spent together, Anne had found zilch in the ways of leads. The guy hadn't left a trace. Not even his right-hand-man Swank had any idea where he'd run off to, and no amount of flirting with him or buying him drinks seemed to change his tune. The man was truly clueless as to Benny's whereabouts, much to Anne's dismay.

_Who needs enemies with friends like Benny?_

It wasn't until a curious guy named Vulpes approached Anne as she roamed the strip one afternoon. She didn't like the man one bit, this proclaimed "frumentarii", but he bestowed upon her the Mark of Caesar, granting her immunity to any hurts that might befall her in Legion territory. He also hinted at harboring some precious cargo as a little incentive for Anne to hear Caesar out. Anne was skeptical until he blatantly admitted that they were holding Benny captive. It took her about 5 seconds to decide that it was her next destination, and she promptly headed up to her suite in the Lucky 38 to gather the necessary supplies for her departure.

Arcade wasn't pleased by the news, packing his belongings reluctantly as Anne rummaged through her things with new found vigor.

"Is it just me, or is treading into Caesar's territory a very _bad_ idea?" he voiced, while sorting through his medical supplies. "I'd love to assume that we're walking straight into the mouth of hell for the sake of merely satisfying our academic curiosity, but I'm not so open-minded that I've lost my brains."

"Come on, Arcade. Don't you want meet the mighty Caesar himself? You can finally speak Latin and have someone understand you!"

Anne did nothing to conceal her mirth as she filled her bags to the brim with ammunition.

"I fail to see any humor in this situation," Arcade frowned. "You're not unnerved at all? I mean, Mr. House has turned a blind eye to the fact that one of Caesar's most valued soldiers is freely strolling around the strip. This is fairly serious business here."

"Relax, Arcade. The Legion promised our safety. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Do you have any idea what you just said?"

The trip to Cottonwood Cove took about 3 days with minimal resting and maximum reassuring of her dear companion. The Cove itself was a meager, sandy establishment, the remnants of a pre-war vacation resort turned into a small base of operations for The Legion. Anne and Arcade were greeted with a sense of forced formality, the tension almost more stifling than the humid Mojave air...but Anne would believe their word until she had reason to believe otherwise.

They were promptly informed that the boat ride across Lake Mead to The Fort would take a few more hours, and when Anne jokingly asked if there would be any bathroom breaks along the way, she was met with silence and a cold stare from the boatman. The Legion really had no sense of humor. Arcade was noticeably silent the entire trip there, looking rather unnerved as his eyes focused somewhere off in the distance.

"You okay, buddy?" Anne nudged her elbow into him at one point, effectively snapping him out of his trance.

"Just fantastic. So kind of you to ask."

"You sure about that? Because you're sweating like a hooker in church."

"You exaggerate."

"Listen," she whispered, leaning in close so that the boatman couldn't hear her. "We're just going to be there long enough to hear Caesar out and recover the Platinum Chip, that's it. In and out. "

A resounding sigh escaped Arcade's lips. "Now where have I heard that one before?"

"Well… I mean it. It'll be a _different_ kind of in and out this time around."

Anne started to get a bit antsy about halfway through their boat ride, and she was more than relieved when they finally hit dry land. At long last, Anne and Arcade arrived at the entrance to Fortification Hill, weary and rather sick of anything involving water. It was pretty much as Anne had expected. Sandy, hot, and it was definitely a hill... a steep one that seemed to stretch for a good mile upwards to its peak. They'd hardly set foot beyond the gates when they were approached by a Legion Guard and promptly halted.

"By order of Caesar, all outsiders must relinquish their weapons and all banned items."

The man held his arms out, waiting for Anne to place her belongings in his hands. She threw a questioning glance at Arcade, who merely shrugged.

"What, just like that?" she asked. "I just hand 'em over?"

The guard gave a no-nonsense nod. "You will receive them upon your departure."

"You're not gonna feel me up or anything?" Anne smirked. "Damn, I figured you boys would be eager for a free frisk. We're really not in Vegas anymore, Arcade."

If Arcade was sweating before, he was really perspiring now. His eyes glanced from Anne and back to the soldier, looking torn as to whether or not he should intervene.

"Do not abuse the mighty Caesar's benevolence," the guard said with pursed lips, as Anne reluctantly began piling her weapons into his awaiting arms. "It is shameful enough that he is asking the assistance of a woman."

_A damn fine woman, you sexist prick._

Before Anne could sling a scathing retort at him, Arcade grabbed her by the arm and steered her onwards. She was already sick of these testosterone-driven idiots who treated her as if she were inferior to them just because she had a couple different parts and hormones. And heaven forbid someone get her started on their choice of attire. She'd bet any amount of caps that the guard wouldn't be so domineering if she showed him the time of his life.

"You should really mind your tongue," Arcade scolded once they were a few feet away, his voice a harsh whisper. "Are you trying to get us killed 5 minutes into our field trip?"

"I'm just defending myself," she huffed. "I'm not about to let these guys walk all over me."

Arcade took a deep, composing, breath before speaking, as if it required extra effort. "Anne, I know you're upset, I get that… and I agree, their lack of respect for the fairer sex is deplorable, but it's so ingrained in their psyche, they'll never see otherwise. The Legion is a living anachronism. Their lifestyle isn't exactly what you'd call 'normal', even by the Wasteland's standards."

Anne shifted her weight onto one hip, glancing around at the soldiers who milled around. It felt like all eyes were on her, but she knew that it was for different reasons than when she typically felt guys burning holes into her with their eyeballs.

"I guess what I'm trying to assert here," Arcade continued. "Is to just… please tread carefully when you speak with Caesar. Is that too much to ask?"

She refocused her attention to her companion. Arcade was on edge, the most stressed she'd seen him in long while. Maybe the most stressed she'd _ever_ seen him. He hadn't wanted to come along with her in the first place, and she'd practically dragged him straight into the belly of the beast. Anne would absolutely hate herself if anything happened to him, especially if he took the heat for her actions. He was doing her a favor by supporting her, and she didn't want to abuse a good thing like she so often did. She'd watch her mouth, but for his sake, not hers.

"Fine," she said at last. "I'll play nice."

Relief seemed to wash over Arcade's features. "Thank you."

They continued onward, and the path before them seemed largely uphill with a crude walkway paved into the barren rock and sand. As the evening hours approached, an unusual series of shadows loomed ominously over them, the fading daylight contorting the images as they were cast upon the beaten path. Anne's gaze followed the source of the strange shadows and she looked upwards to see three crosses, each with a victim hanging, and bleeding, from each of them. One appeared to be dead, another near-dying and the last one, to her horror, was merely the skeletal remains of some poor bastard... pieces of tattered flesh hanging on bones and little else.

Like watching an old horror holotape, Anne couldn't tear her eyes away from the gruesome sight before her. She had heard of crucifixion, but had never witnessed it firsthand. The disgust that she felt was staggering. She turned to Arcade, parting her lips to speak, but no words uttered forth from her mouth. Her hands balled into fists so tightly that she unintentionally dug her nails into her palms.

_Nobody deserves that._

Arcade cast a solemn glance her way. He didn't have to say anything; she knew precisely what he must have been thinking: "Step out of line, and we could end up like that." She wondered what the poor bastards had done to warrant such punishment. Somehow, Anne didn't want to find out, especially not firsthand. Arcade ushered her along with a hand on the small of her back. There was no need to stare any longer.

As they continued uphill towards Caesar's tent, Anne was suddenly unnerved by the lack of women in The Fort. She hadn't seen one yet, not even the unfortunate slave girls that Arcade had informed her about.

_Feels weird to be the only broad around, and yet I'm the only one not wearing a skirt. Ironic._

Her musings were put to an end abrupt end when they arrived outside of Caesar's tent. Again, boundaries were set by the soldier charged with guarding the entrance. Anne was to meet Caesar alone, which meant leaving an increasingly nervous Arcade behind. He appeared reluctant to allow her to continue by herself, but she assured him that she could hold her own.

"I'll be back shortly, okay? Just stay here and... man the fort I guess. Hey, how often is that expression a pun?"

Her pathetic attempt at a joke earned no smile from him, as he shook his head and looked stern.

"Please, be careful."

"Hey, aren't I always?" She gave him a signature wink, and was escorted into the tent as she held her head high and hoped for the best.

Anne's meeting with Caesar was brief, and she made sure to keep it that way. He was exactly what she had expected: brazen, to-the-point, and brutal both in his methods and his words. Oh, and bald. Yes, he was quite bald. He certainly lived up to that little legacy.

She was snippy in her replies, making the point crystal clear that she was visiting for business with Benny, to recover the chip, and little else... she wasn't one for small talk. Of course, Caesar barked back, making threats and stating simply that he wanted Anne to use the chip for his own purpose of unlocking the mysterious bunker beneath The Fort. He wished for her to destroy whatever surprises might lay inside. His attempts to flatter Anne were lost to her, and she didn't believe one bit that he actually admired her gall and how she had singlehandedly rattled Vegas' cage. Anne was the only one who played that game. She would do whatever she damn well pleased with the chip, whether Caesar liked it or not.

Despite all the heavy talk of Vegas and its fate, the fate that concerned her more was Benny's. Anne raised an eyebrow upon hearing that she could choose the manner of his death. A tempting notion, but she had business with the Ben-Man, first and foremost. She would make the little fink pay, but not yet. Death was too swift of a punishment.

When her little discussion with Caesar had ended with crossed fingers and a promise that she'd do his bidding, at long last, she was led into the tent situated closest to Caesar's throne. Anne's heart was racing as she braced herself for what might lay beyond the tent flaps. She fully expected to see Benny in some state of mutilation, so she was greatly surprised, and even more greatly amused to see Benny bound like a dog on the filthy ground... miserable and morose. Oh, the irony.

_Now all he needs is a gun to his face. My, how the tables have turned._

At the sight of her, Benny immediately perked up, flashing a familiar grin that seemed all the more bright in contrast to his dirtied face. The guard watching over him left to give them some privacy.

_Perfect._

"Pussycat! Well ain't this just platinum. Had I known I'd see your pretty little face again, I'd have baked a cake!"

Anne approached him, arms crossed and hips swaying. She was determined to enjoy this, as well as openly display to him all that he could have had before screwing up so badly.

"Gotta say, that would have been pretty impressive in your current state," she said.

"Baby, you of all people should know that I can do all sorts of impressive things with my hands tied... bakery is just one of them, but they're all equally sweet."

She rolled her eyes. It didn't surprise her that he was laying on the charm and innuendo. If there was one thing she admired about Benny, it was his remarkable ability to put on an air of calm collectedness, even in times of imminent mortal peril. His eyes were already grazing over her, despite the fact that her combat armor wasn't particularly figure-flattering.

_Subtle as always._

"Anyway," Benny continued, his head tilting to one side, as if to appraise her better. "It's nice of you to stop by. Thought I might never see you again."

"Don't flatter yourself," Anne scoffed. "I was just passing through."

"Shame, baby. And here I've been on cloud 9 thinkin' about our last memory made together. It was 18 karat, all the way. You know it's all that's been keeping me warm at night, stuck where I am..."

_How touching._

"Sorry, can't say you left much of an impression." It was a lie. Anne had thought of their wild night together more than she seemed to be able to control. But she certainly wasn't going to tell him that...

"Oh, I left an impression all right," Benny said, his grin only widening. "The dent in that mattress was permanent. Still, it would be nice to have someone soft to canoodle with."

_Canoodle? Oh, Benny._

"Well, I'm sure there's plenty of Legion boys who are more than willing."

"That's cold, baby."

"Not as cold as your little set-up you've got here."

"Oh yeah, check the digs. _Real_ cozy."

Anne allowed her eyes to brush over him, noting that he looked pretty healthy for being held captive, albeit a little filthy and haggard.

"Did they hurt you?"

"Nah, I been lucky so far, considering the alternatives."

"Well, that's good to hear..."

"So nice to hear you care, baby, I-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Anne threw a mean right hook, her fist connecting with his nose with a rather sickening crack. Benny groaned, bringing his bound hands upwards to catch the stream of blood that began pooling out of his left nostril. The guard outside of the tent apparently didn't care. She guessed that they'd been wanting to do precisely the same thing for a good long while. And who wouldn't? The satisfaction that she felt at dishing out some pain was greater than she'd like to admit. She'd bottled it up for far too long.

_Damn, that felt good._

"What the _fuck_!" Benny yelled, his voice nasally and eyes watering. "I think you broke my nose!"

"Better than your neck, " she snapped, rubbing her fist. "You'll learn not to get on my bad side, Ben-man."

"Do you feel better now, you sick bitch?"

He wiped his nose with his sleeve, a satisfying smear of red staining his cuffs in the process as his eyes squinted into a scowl.

"Yeah, loads. And quit your whining. You and I both know I could have done a lot worse."

"Oh yeah? Why don't you go ahead and end it right now. I'm sure Caesar would be more than keen to that option."

"I think I'd rather hear about your _daring_ little escape and how your ass ended up in this mess."

Anne crouched down beside him, sitting on her haunches and immensely enjoying the sight of him suffering.

"Are you really expectin' me to sing after punching me in the schnoz?"

"You know, I could always punch you again. And between you and me, I've got a knife in my pocket..."

A smirk came to Anne's features as Benny fidgeted ever so slightly.

"So, you wanna know how I relocated, huh?"

"That I do."

_I knew you'd change your tune._

"Well, It took me every Stealth Boy I had to get across the river from Cottonwood Cove... it was a close shave, ridin' in a boat full of Legion boys but I made it here in one piece. Once I arrived, I changed into some Legion gear I snagged off a corpse outside of Nelson. I tried to sneak into the bunker, but they caught me red-handed."

"Let me guess, you didn't even put up a fight?"

"Let's just say they were very persuasive, baby," he laughed nervously. "They found the chip. Oh, and they found your _unmentionables_, too. Gotta say the looks on their faces were priceless when they took those. Don't think they get too many broads around this joint. One guy figured it for a fancy handkerchief until he noticed the lack of fabric. They're still in my back pocket if you want 'em."

Benny's grin returned tenfold. Bloodied, bound, and he was still smiling. Anne would have liked to convince herself that it wasn't an enjoyable smile, coupled with his dark eyes and tanned skin. Even as filthy as he was, he was still rather easy on the eyes. His handsomeness and sweet talk had fooled her once, but she'd be damned if it ever happened again.

_Being good lookin' doesn't mean much when you're a prick, doll. _

"No thanks. You can keep it for lonely nights," Anne quipped. "You're sure to have a lot more of those around here."

"Claws out today, eh, pussycat? Who pissed in your Sugar Bombs this morning?"

With a deep sigh, Anne wondered how much more of him she could tolerate before she lost control and reduced him to a bloody pulp just for kicks.

_Better get to the point._

"Listen, I'm tired of beating around the bush. Why did you leave?"

"Like I said, you forced my hand. Had no choice..."

"That's your best excuse? I trusted you, you little fuck."

"And that's where you made your first mistake, baby," Benny said matter-of-factly, unperturbed by her verbal abuse. "I ain't the kinda cat you can trust. Nothin' personal. I learned a long time ago that if you don't look out for number one, you'll end up a big fat loser."

Anne finally stood, no longer wanting to be on the same level as him in any sense.

"Well, look what good it did you. The winning hand is mine now, Benny."

"That may be true, baby, but the question remains, how are you gonna play the game? I assume Baldie wants whatever's in the bunker to go kaput?"

Anne gave a curt nod.

"But you're not gonna do that, right?"

"That's none of your goddamn business."

For the first time in their entire conversation, Benny's features became grave, his tiredness truly apparent. He actually looked... _pathetic_. Anne's heart almost went out to him, but she quickly squelched any pity that she might feel for him.

"I know my opinion ain't gonna count for much," he said solemnly. "But if you know what's best for you and the good people of The Strip, you'll do whatever Mr. House would have wanted. Play your cards right, and the city called Vegas is in the palm of your hands."

Despite her instinct to reject Benny's plans for Vegas, his words rang true. When it came down to brass tacks, Anne would rather play along with Mr. House rather than Caesar. Hope gleamed brightly as neon lights on the horizon, and yet a sudden melancholy washed over her. She was on the verge of shaping the future of New Vegas itself, and somehow, she wasn't as happy as she expected to be.

_Isn't this what I wanted?_

But her inner thoughts had doubts. And they weren't ones that she wanted to analyze at the current moment in time. Maybe she'd be more content once she got out of this godforsaken hellhole.

"Shouldn't matter to you anyway, seeing as you've painted yourself out of the picture," Anne said. She glared at Benny, but his features remained calm, soft even.

"Why else do you think I'm trying to pass my scheme onto you?"

"Not that it isn't appreciated but you really screwed the pooch, Ben-Man. But hey, I should go. I have things to do, and cities that are relying upon me for independence. "

With her boots kicking up the sand, Anne abruptly turned on one heel, heading through the flap of the tent. She was halfway out when Benny's voice halted her. The dust at her feet settled momentarily.

"Pussycat, before you leave...did Baldie mention anything else?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, not fully turning to face him. "Mentioned something about how I get to choose how you die. "

"Well geez, don't get all sentimental on me. Any way you're leanin'?"

No expression from Benny was needed... she could feel the trepidation in his voice.

"I don't want any part of it," Anne said, her voice calm, yet resolute. "You chose your own fate and no amount of luck is gonna change that, Benny. You'll have to play the hand that's been given to you this time around."

Without enough time for a reply, Anne stepped out of the tent, feeling like a new weight was instantly upon her shoulders. She was Atlas all over again. Her mind was overflowing with information. Of plans, of possibilities, of the platinum chip... Vegas could be hers, and hers alone, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was in over her head.

_But this is what I want, isn't it? At whatever the costs?_

Anne nodded to the nearest Legion guard, signaling that she was finished. As he moved to resume his spot beside Benny inside of the tent, she halted him with a palm to his arm.

"Hey, say I dont want to make a decision. What's to become of him...?"

"Crucifixion at sunrise," the man replied dutifully. "As originally intended."

The frown that came to her mouth was unexpected. Anne exited Caesar's tent with her gaze cast downwards, watching the sand at her feet shuffle and create little patterns as she walked. It got her thinking. What was one little grain of sand, really, in the grand scheme of things? Was it worth anything?

_And are two grains still better than one?_

When she arrived outside, Arcade was patiently waiting for her, pacing back and forth near the entrance.

"Did you miss me?"

"Oh! I thought you'd be gone a lot longer," he said, his relief obvious. "I expect that things went well?"

She forced a smile. "Things went great. Come on, let's walk as I fill you in."

As she set the pace down the hill, Anne glanced back in the direction of Benny's tent and then off into the setting sun, where crucifixes rose up along the horizon like beacons of death piercing through the otherwise radiant sky. She didn't even notice that she had paused.

Arcade stopped alongside her, his eyebrows knitting in concern behind his glasses.

"Anne, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Let's keep moving, we've got a lot of work to do."

Nightfall was approaching, and as the sun continued to sink into Lake Mead, Anne couldn't help but notice that the sky was fading into an ominous shade of red. With her arms wrapped around herself against the sudden chill that assaulted her, they carried on towards the bunker.

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**AN: Thanks for reading! I am literally off ALL WEEK and I intend to have another chapter posted very soon. But that's ONLY if I get enough feedback. This next one may very well earn this fic's "M" rating ehehe. So stay tuned, guys n' dolls! ;D**


	4. Now is the Hour

**AN**: This was originally going to be a single chapter with two parts, first about Anne and Arcade and then Anne's next encounter with Benny... but I decided to break it up into two separate chapters for easier reading because it was getting a little lengthy :)

Sorry there's no Benny in this bit but there'll be lots of him in the next two chapters and I'll have the next one up VERY SOON. Stay tuned and thank you to everyone who's put this story on alert, and of course to my readers and reviewers!

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**4. Now is the Hour**

As Anne traversed the twisted innards of the vault beneath the Fort, she couldn't recall a time in which she was more relieved to get her weaponry back.

_Nothing beats a good submachine at your side…_

To her utter surprise and delight, Caesar had permitted her to reclaim her belongings before she made the trek. The use of the Platinum Chip in the vault was uncomplicated, aside from the fact that a throng of guards were watching over it. Metallic doors had churned opened as soon as the chip was inserted into the console, allowing her and Arcade access.

Anne was almost surprised that Benny had messed it up. Almost. But then again, he'd failed to make a clean headshot at point-blank range. The guy didn't currently have much going for him, and yet thoughts of him kept resurfacing on the brink of Anne's thoughts. She was truly torn between intervening with the fate that the Legion had chosen for him, or simply staying true to her word as Benny's final hand played out. Although she wanted Benny to pay dearly for ditching her, she somehow felt that crucifixion was too cruel a fate.

Oh, and of course there was the occasional less-than-platonic thought of him... which didn't help her dilemma much.

Arcade nearly took a laser beam to the face, courtesy of a protectron, before Anne realized that she was distracted. When the robot was lying in a pile of steaming scrap metal, she approached her companion and looked him over.

"You okay?"

She tilted his chin into the light to be sure that he was unscathed. Thankfully, he looked all right except for being a bit frazzled.

"I needed a shave anyway," he joked, a wry smile upon his lips as he put a hand to his cheek. "But really, I'll be fine."

"Good. I need you in one piece. We've got to find that console."

Anne wondered how much deeper underground the vault would lead them. Truth be told, she wanted to upgrade the Securitrons and scram. Not only out of the vault, but out of The Fort in general... she wanted nothing more than to leave it all behind her, Benny included. They already seemed to be wandering around much longer than she expected. Of course, it was always a possibility that her racing thoughts were merely obscuring her sense of time... she only hoped that it wasn't obscuring her judgement as well.

As he often seemed to be, Arcade was rather in tune to Anne's inner turmoil.

"If you don't mind me saying, you seem a bit distracted. Something on your mind?"

_Goddamn, it's freaky how he always does that..._

"Just thinking, is all."

"Ah, is that what that was? I assumed it was the sparks emitting from that Protectron."

"You're hilarious," Anne deadpanned with a roll of the eyes. Arcade's smile remained. She was happy to see that his spirits had lifted somewhat since their arrival at The Fort, and although strained, he was settling back into being his smartass self again.

"Actually, I've got a question for you."

"Go for it."

"What are your thoughts on crucifixion?"

The question seemed louder than expected, her words reverberating off of the walls and carrying with an eerie echo. The doctor paused, his brow wrinkling quizzically.

_Okay, maybe I should have had a better lead-in..._

"I mean," she continued. "Do you think anyone really deserves it?"

"I don't really condone anything the Legion does, if I haven't already made that apparent," said Arcade as they continued walking. "Crucifixion is just one example. It's archaic and cruel, not to mention a remarkably slow and painful death.

As she rounded a corner, Anne's mind immediately flashed an image of the crucifixes they'd witnessed upon entering The Fort. She could only imagine the various ways death had taken the victims...starvation, dehydration, exhaustion, or the Mojave sun burning them alive. She didn't get queasy too easily, but the thought of it made her stomach churn.

"But we're not talking about this in a general sense, are we? You're referring to Benny."

The grip on Anne's SMG tightened at his name.

_Damn it._

"Well... yeah," she said, trying to keep her tone as casual as possible. "Yeah, I guess we are. So, how would you deal with him?"

She almost winced at the words. Anne couldn't believe that she was asking for Arcade's opinion, rather than thinking for herself as she was often so eager to do... but the words had slipped before she could even control them. She wondered if Arcade knew how much of an exception he was to her, a man whom she confided in and didn't see as merely a means to an end.

Initially, she had only valued him for his medical expertise and the walking encyclopedia that he seemed to function as. The fact that he also wished to make Vegas independent also played a key role in their partnership. She couldn't deny such facts, but she was growing quite fond of his company, and maybe even considered him a friend.

_Not like I've had many of those before..._

Anne wasn't one for expressing sentiments, however, so she'd leave reading the subtext up to him. He was so good at it, after all.

"I'm not sure I can say," Arcade said after a beat or two passed. "I suppose I'd have to spend a night in your grave to understand your situation fully."

_And maybe a night in bed with Benny, too._

Anne nudged her elbow into him, expecting a more verbose reply. "That's your best answer?"

"Sometimes in life there are no clear answers. There are only choices."

"Oh, go ahead and get all philosophical with me. That's just perfect."

Arcade paused in order to be on eye level with her. His features were sincere, kind but with a certain sternness to them.

"I don't think that this is a choice I can make for you, Anne. But I will tell you this: whatever you decide to do, your decisions have a way of following you around. So, if nothing else, just make sure that you can live with yourself at the end of the day. Sometimes that's really the best we can do."

She nodded, taking the words in. The choices that lay ahead of her weren't easy ones to make, especially when it came to matters of life or death. Anne suddenly found it ironic that the fate of Vegas herself was the easy choice, but when it came to Benny's life, a man whom she should hate given the circumstances… well, it was a hell of a lot harder than she'd expected.

_Shoulda killed him when I had the chance... before things got complicated..._

With Arcade in tow, Anne tread deeper into the vault, the hallways seeming to coil endlessly into the darkness with very little light guiding the way. Exhaling a deep sigh of conviction, she knew what had to be done...


	5. Prisoner of Love

**AN:** Okay, ladies and gents, this chapter was probably the hardest one for me in terms of this entire fanfiction. The rest of this fic is WRITTEN. It was just this one chapter that kept me from progressing it sooner. I nitpicked quite a lot before forcing myself to just post it already, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. For sensitive viewers, this chapter earns its "M" rating. So... take that as you will. The last few chapters will be posted at much faster intervals.

As always, thank you for reading and PLEASE continue to review! Your feedback means so much to me and truly inspires me to continue. Generally, the more feedback I get, the more motivated I become to get the next chapters posted :)

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**5. Prisoner of Love**

The Securitrons were ready and waiting, earth quaking as soon as the Mark II operating system was activated. The Strip, at last, would be well-equipped against any hostilities, and Vegas was one step closer to gaining her independence. Anne was rather pleased that she had contributed to the cause almost single-handedly.

_Never trust a man to do a woman's job._

Once Anne and Arcade were safely out of the vault, their weapons were relinquished once again. She was only mildly dismayed, as she wouldn't need fancy weapons where she was heading. Anne dutifully told Arcade to meet her by the docks with a boat ready to head back to Cottonwood Cove. There was just one loose end to tie up after speaking with Caesar.

_And he happens to be tied up at the moment._

Anne had lied to Caesar's face without so much as a flinch. When he inquired about the rumble felt by the entire Fort, she informed him that everything was destroyed, when in fact there was an entire army ready to march out and raise a little hell when the time was right. Their heavy artillery would rival Judgment Day itself, and The Legion wouldn't stand a chance.

She had also made a decision, albeit a difficult one, regarding Benny's fate

The Legion camp had grown dark and cold, as was customary of the desert climate in the Mojave. Chills crept up Anne's bare arms and down her spine...morbidly musing on how it would only get colder with blood on her hands.

As she walked towards Benny's tent, weaponless once again save for a knife concealed in her boot, her own harsh words still lingered in her mind.

"_I've changed my mind. I want the satisfaction of ending Benny's life." _

Caesar had approved of her decision, and gave her permission for a few minutes alone with him to deal with him as she saw fit. Benny had been moved to a smaller, more secluded area for the evening hours, with several soldiers guarding him. And so Anne came to stand after a rather grueling day, paused at the entrance of his darkened tent.

She took a moment to carefully observe him before speaking up. He was hanging his head, his gaze fixed on the sandy ground and his face obscured in shadow. In the dim light that pooled through the tent's flap, she couldn't tell if he was sleeping, but considering it was the night before he was to be crucified, she could only guess that he wasn't.

"Thinkin' about me, tiger?"

Her words seemed to echo forever in the night before meeting Benny's ears.

"Pussycat," he said tiredly, looking up at her."Well, I can't say I was betting my chips on seeing you again." He brought his bound hands up to his eyes to rub them, and Anne took note of the fact that he was sporting a black eye from her earlier assault.

"Believe me, I had no intention."

"Couldn't resist my charm, eh?" Just like that, his features found a way of lighting up, despite the shadows cast upon him. She loved that shit-eating-grin of his. He somehow managed to remain attractive despite the fact that he looked as if he'd just lost a round or two in a boxing ring.

"Actually, I'm here to put you out of your misery," she deadpanned.

"You just burst my bubble, baby. I was finally warming up to the idea of crucifixion. The humiliation of those creeps pointing and laughin' at me for days is just what I've always wanted!"" His voice was pleasant, yet oozing with sarcasm.

"Sorry to be such a dream-crusher."

"So, what about all that mumbo jumbo you gave me about playing the hand that was given to me and blah blah blah?"

"Listen," Anne sighed. "Don't let it go to your head, okay? Nobody deserves that. Not even a good for nothing _fuck _like you."

"Hey, I'm not complainin', babydoll." Benny shifted a little, rolling his shoulders in discomfort. "So, what went on down there in the bunker? We all felt the ground shake... more so than usual when you're around."

He winked, and Anne rolled her eyes.

"The Securitrons are upgraded," she said, voice low as she moved closer to him. "Vegas has the upper hand now."

The brightness of his features in that moment could have to rivaled the neon lights of the strip.

"That's my girl! I knew you could do it."

"But that's not all…"

"Oh?"

"There's a whole fleet of robots down there, ready to light this place up like a pre-war 4th of July."

"Wow, a whole army on layaway... the old man is a clever player."

"Yeah," Anne huffed. "And a sonofabitch, to boot."

Benny looked as if he sympathized with her, his features softening. "I told you, baby. Mr. House was a cool cat to swing with, but he's no better than the rest of 'em. But taking care of him is up to _you _now."

_Isn't everything these days?_

Anne remained silent as they exchanged glances. Benny's expression turned positively mischievous, his eyes grazing up and down her figure like a starving man presented with a piece of Brahmin steak. She half-expected him to start drooling.

"Lookin' pretty smug for a man who's about to die," she quipped.

"Me? Nah, I was just takin' a little stroll down memory lane. It's too bad a conjugal visit isn't practical…"

"Well, I wouldn't say it's too much to ask."

A dark eyebrow rose, brow crinkling in surprise. "Baby, are you pullin' my chain?

"I could if you want," Anne replied suggestively.

"Right here? Right now?"

A twisted little smile played upon Anne's lips. "Who says I can't send you off with a bang?"

"Hot damn! Who says my luck's run out?"

Anne threw a quick glance towards the closed tent flap. She could vaguely hear Legion guards milling about, just within earshot. "We'll have to be quiet, though. Think you can do that?"

"Anything you say, baby." Benny looked down at his hands, and then up again to Anne's face as he raised his bound wrists upwards. "Uh, I don't suppose you made any arrangements to untie me?"

"No, but don't you worry about a thing," she purred, closing the distance between them. "Leave everything to me."

Without further ado, Anne dropped to her knees and leaned in to capture his mouth in a passionate kiss. It wasn't until their lips met that Anne felt that familiar energy coursing through her, and she realized just how badly she'd been wanting him... a basic human urge that she'd been fighting vainly to resist.

Thoughts of Benny had constantly been on the edge of her awareness since he'd left her high and dry at The Tops, though she struggled to keep them buried somewhere in her subconscious. Through the whirlwind of emotion that she was suddenly overcome with, Anne wasn't sure if she wanted him for her own selfish satisfaction or something more elusive... but she did know one thing: if it was to be their last night together, then by God, she was going to make it a good one.

Benny's lips were salty with perspiration, but still with a certain sweetness to them. Without hesitation, he brought his bound hands upwards to clumsily paw at her chest through the thin fabric of her shirt. Anne fed him a laugh through their lip-lock, remembering how he had gone straight for the same goal during their night in Benny's suite.

_Once a boob-man, always a boob-man. Or should I say charlies? _

A sigh escaped her as Benny buried his face in her neck, planting kisses and love-bites across her collarbone and along the sensitive skin of her neckline. Through his bonds, he still managed to grasp the bottom of her shirt, tugging it upwards and allowing himself full access to her pert breasts.

The cool evening air assaulted her exposed flesh, causing goosebumps to raise all over her skin. Benny's mouth captured his prize, and she strained not to cry out. They weren't alone in the camp, after all...

Anne's hands found the sides of his face, where she allowed her palms to brush the light stubble growing there. Even unshaven, filthy, beaten and bound... she still found him irresistible. She pressed herself closer to him, wanting to feel the warmth emanating from his body and his breath against her skin. She wanted all of him.

The tension between them seemed all the more palpable due to the fact that they might have an audience at any given moment. It was like a game, to see how quiet they could be, how far they could push each other without alerting the guards to their activities.

A bit more foreplay was typically acceptable, but their time was short. Desperation was their driving force. Without breaking their kiss, Anne trailed her hands downwards and skimmed her fingertips along the rim of his pants, causing Benny to make a little noise of approval in the back of his throat. She took the button of his trousers between her thumb and index finger, deftly undoing his pants in one seasoned movement and revealing his obvious arousal.

Benny took the cue, though he couldn't do much with his ankles bound together. He balanced his weight on his knees momentarily, allowing Anne to tug his pants downwards where they came to bunch around his knees. Anne ran her nails along his inner thigh before grasping the length of him. As she stroked, Benny was sent into a moaning fit as his head tilted backwards, lips parted.

"Oh God, baby..." he mumbled. "You have no idea how much I needed this."

"Darling," she whispered, pressing her cheek to his, like sandpaper against her smooth skin. "I'm just getting started..."

She had once allowed the chairman to overpower her, and now it was her turn to turn up the heat and take control. Anne tantalized him for a bit longer, savoring every single pleasured noise that elicited from him. Benny's fingers were balled into fists as she worked, positively shaking as he bit his bottom lip.

"Baby doll," he moaned, already sounding close to release. "I don't want to miss out on the main event here...nobody likes a tease."

_Might as well give the man what he wants..._

Anne stood and quietly slid out of her pants, with Benny's eyes hungrily gazing over her. He remained kneeling as she straddled him, ducking beneath his bound wrists so that his arms were hugging her. With her knees around his hips, she prepared to further their connection, but she was halted as Benny's fingertips found her warmth, as if to make absolutely sure that she was ready for him.

_Oh, now that's just cruel. _

Anne's back arched in reaction to his teasing movements, taking in deep, ragged breaths. Before he could torture her any further, Anne pushed his hands away, signaling that she'd had enough. Unable to withstand any more, she took him with one thrust as Benny shuddered and groaned rather loudly.

In hopes of stifling him she pressed her mouth to his, and Benny's tongue trailed across her lips, imploring entry. Her lips parted and their tongues danced, mirroring the connection at their hips. With her hands upon his shoulders as leverage, Anne rocked against him, creating an even rhythm as he cupped her backside and allowed her to take control.

As her pleasure grew stronger with each pulsing movement, the air practically charged with electricity between them, Anne was suddenly taken back to their first evening at The Tops. What should have been a resentful memory had somehow transformed into a pleasant one. Anne broke their kiss, willing Benny to look into her eyes as she increased their pace . She wanted to remember him... to take something of him with her, even if it was nothing but a memory. While making love, she usually looked elsewhere, anywhere but her lover's eyes... but somehow, with Benny, she was compelled to stare into their chestnut depths and swim in them for as long as she could before the lights from his eyes were extinguished. Before _she _extinguished them.

Quite selfishly, Anne wanted her time spent with Benny to last longer, but she knew it would soon be over; another wasteland romance with the odds stacked against them from the get-go, another game she couldn't possibly hope to win.

Their sensual rhythm eventually brought them to the height of their excitement. As Benny grew nearer to the edge, Anne pressed his face to her chest in an attempt to muffle his pleasured moaning. She bit into his shoulder to prevent her own cries, and they shivered in unison, bodies releasing and then relaxing.

When it was over, a relative quiet surrounded them, the only noises were the crackling of the torches outside of the tent, and their ragged, erratic, breathing.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Benny said at last, between gasping breaths. Little beads of sweat were apparent on his brow, and Anne gently wiped them away. "You... are one naughty... ring-a-ding broad."

"You're not so bad yourself, mister. Even all tied up."

"I aim to please, babydoll."

His cheeks were flushed as he grinned at her and somehow, he looked a lot healthier than he had only minutes before. She took it as a supreme compliment. They made themselves decent again, and Anne came to kneel in front of Benny, so that she was on eye-level with him.

"I think our time's just about up, Tiger."

"I guess it's like they say," Benny sighed, "all good things must come to an end."

"But what an end, eh? You know,Vegas just won't be the same without you and that awful plaid jacket of yours."

It was a backhanded compliment, that she knew. Vegas surely _wouldn't _be the same without him... some reasons for the better, some for the worse. But to her own surprise, she was more concerned with the "worse" part at the current moment.

"Don't I know it!" he chuckled, a pleasant sound that rumbled in his chest before his features grew more serious. "Baby doll, as much as I'd love to ride off unto the sunset with you, that just ain't how the hand's been dealt. The only lights on your horizon now is Vegas. I didn't have any grand illusions to get outta this shindig alive."

"Gotta play what the dealer's given us, right?"

_Or die trying to rig the game to your specifications._

"Exactly. Just do me a favor, baby. Make Vegas a town I woulda been proud of. Let it swing."

Anne nodded earnestly. "I think I can do that."

"You're platinum, pussycat," he said, touching her chin lightly with his fingertips in an unusual display of affection. "That's what the Ben-Man wants to hear."

Anne kissed him again, wanting to feel the pleasant warmth of his lips against hers one last time. Meanwhile, she pulled the concealed hunting knife from within her boot. Benny allowed himself to look at the knife's gleaming blade as they broke their kiss.

"I wish there was another way," she said solemnly. "I really do."

"I know, baby. Get it over with. Make it clean."

Although there was a semblance of fear in his brown eyes, the remainder of his features were calm and collected; at peace in the face of his own death. It was admirable, to say the least.

_He actually trusts me. _

"Close your eyes..."

Benny did as he was told, features grim as Anne held the knife tightly within her hand. During her lifetime, Anne had been referred to as many things: a tease, a man-eater, even a coldhearted bitch... but after she was through with Benny, she wasn't sure what people would call her.

_A black widow, perhaps? _

It suddenly occurred to her that before now, she never cared what stigmas resulted from her actions. She never bothered to take them to heart, because Anne consoled herself that she was doing what felt right at the time, and what felt right was nobody's business but hers. But inexplicably, something had changed along the way, and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

_This should feel right. He'll be thrown to the wolves without me... he'll suffer... this is the only way... _

Anne leaned in close, one hand with the knife to his throat and the other gripping the hair at the nape of his neck. Benny shut his eyes tighter, eyelids trembling as Anne pressed her forehead against his.

_I'm sorry, Benny... I'm so sorry... _

Her heart was pounding against the walls of her chest and reverberating through her ears. She gripped the knife so firmly that her knuckles went white and she willed herself to breathe, despite the fact that she was instinctively holding her breath.

_For fuck's sake, just do it... end it. Get it over with! _

Before she could change her mind, Anne sliced quickly with the knife and Benny's eyes snapped open in shock. Anne bit her lip and frowned at his reaction to her handiwork.

"What do you think you're doing?" Benny looked down, flabbergasted at his unbound hands. "You're supposed to kill me!"

"I guess it's not time for you to cash in your chips with the big dealer in the sky just yet."

"Baby... I... I don't know what to say. You're letting me off the hook? Again?"

Anne moved around to cut the ropes at his ankles and then helped him to his feet, where he wobbled like a sailor with weak sea-legs before regaining his footing. He looked genuinely stunned... but apparently not into silence.

"I can't lie, you've rendered me speechless. Words can't express! The power of forgiveness is just... wowie, baby. I swear, you're the only good luck charm a guy ever needs..."

A couple of shadows passed outside of the tent, the silhouettes of soldiers nearby, and Anne felt a small spike of fear pass through her.

_All of this, and his big mouth is going to get us caught!_

"For God's sake, Benny," Anne snapped, her voice a harsh whisper. "Shut the fuck up!"

She grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, crushing her mouth against his in an adrenaline-fueled kiss and forcing his silence. Her mind was fuddled and confused, but somehow, despite all of the obvious wrongness of their wicked little romance, all of the mistakes she had already made, and the ones she hadn't yet decided... she knew that for whatever godforsaken reason, keeping Benny alive felt _right _and sometimes, that was enough. Maybe crazy, maybe stupid... but _enough_.

While Benny was occupied with ravaging her mouth, Anne managed to take his hand within her own and slice her blade against his palm. He recoiled, hissing in pain as he clutched his bleeding hand to his chest, effectively staining his checkered suit.

"Ow, goddamn! A little warning mighta been nice."

He frowned, looking like a wounded puppy. Anne wanted to smack him.

"Hey, if you're going to escape with a staged death, I have to make this look convincing." Anne made sure that there was blood on her knife, as well as her clothing, before posing for him. "How do I look?"

Benny put his hand to his chin, tilting his head as he appraised her. He looked like he judging a fashionable outfit rather than observing a bloodstained woman. "Gotta say, red's a good color on you, baby."

She smirked. "So I've been told. I've been wearing a lot of it lately."

"So, what's the game plan?"

Anne's plan wasn't solid, but it was better than nothing. That was all she could really expect at the current point in time.

"You get a head start and try to snag us some weapons," she said. "I'll exit the tent and do my best to play it cool until we can meet up again. By that time they'll likely have figured us out, so we'll at least be prepared."

_I hope._

"This caper is 41 flavors of crazy, baby, but I'm all in. I've got your back!"

"Good." Anne leaned in for another kiss before giving his ass a playful slap, to which he raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Now, you'd better scram before I regret this."

"You don't have to tell me twice. See you on the other side, Pussycat!"

Just like that, Benny was gone... disappearing through the back of the tent and wandering off into the night. She hoped that he'd get a head start before the guards realized that he wasn't a corpse as expected. Even more so, she hoped that he didn't get himself killed for nothing. They definitely did not have the upper hand carrying nothing but their fists and a hunting knife. The impulsiveness of her actions, as usual, wasn't quite realized until the deed was done and the adrenaline rush had passed. Arcade typically functioned as her voice of reason and he, of course, wasn't in the immediate vicinity if things should bode ill.

_If Caesar's goons don't kill me, Arcade will..._

With a deep, composing sigh, Anne quietly exited the tent, politely nodding to the guards and trying not to let any obvious signs show.

"He's dead," she said, voice cold and hollow. "Good riddance."

The guards nodded, looking over her blood-stained clothing and robotically spewing some nonsense about Benny being another kill to Caesar's name. She didn't stick around long enough to hear what else they had to say. Anne played it confident, swaggering off before picking up the pace a bit, trying to keep a balance between an even gait and brisk strides in the direction of the docks.

Anne had hardly made it down the first major hill down the beaten path before angered voices met her ears. It started with one shouting man, and was soon a wave of male voices calling out in warning. As if someone had flicked on a switch, torches started going up all over the camp, lighting the night like hellfire, while some sort of alarm horn had sounded. She'd have to be quick if she was going to maneuver through the camp and snag a boat with a couple dozen legion guards chasing after her with machetes and firearms.

_Benny, where the hell are you?_

She began sprinting down the hill at full force, but she didn't get far before feeling an uncomfortable jolt through her abdomen.

_Oh, shit._

Although she forced herself to keep on running, relying upon the sudden rush of adrenaline to carry her farther, she knew she'd been shot. In her panic, she hadn't seen or heard the Legion soldier gunning at her from behind the nearest building.

As the pain intensified, Anne dropped to her knees, eyes frantically searching for any sign of Benny as the soldier rapidly closed the distance between them. In that moment, the pain in her side was dull in comparison to the sudden stabbing in her heart. Benny had left her. She had freed him, let him off the hook one last time... and she was about to atone for her sins.


	6. Someone to Watch Over Me

**AN:** Hey, all! Here's chapter 6! My apologies that it took so long to get this one up. I've been a little discouraged lately, but I fully intend on seeing this through to the end. There'll be a couple more chapters and perhaps an epilogue. As always, I hope that you continue to enjoy this story. Please review and let me know what you think! :) Chapter 7 will be up very soon so long as I know that people are still interested...

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**6. Someone to Watch Over Me**

Knees sinking farther into the sand, pain was at the tip of Anne's awareness. There was a moment in which she felt nothing but a cold breeze rush through her, but the surreal sensation was quickly replaced with a searing pain that seemed to render her motionless. She gasped at the intensity of it, the wind suddenly knocked from her lungs as she pressed her palms over her abdomen to feel a sickening stream of warmth gushing out of her. Blood dripped through her fingers, a pool of red in stark contrast to the golden sand.

_Goddamn you, Benny._

She looked upwards at the Legion guard closing in on her, his gun holstered in favor of a machete. She assumed it would be use to rend her head from her shoulders...

_Maybe if I'm lucky._

Scowling, bleeding, and weaponless, Anne thought bitterly about how she'd come so far for nothing. It was as if her time since Goodsprings was inconsequential, she may as well have just died back in her shallow grave. Benny would still rule Vegas if he made it out of the Fort alive... they would remember his name, not hers. She was back to being a nobody...just a nameless accessory to all that the city of Vegas was soon to achieve, all because of the man she loved to hate, and hated to love.

_Give me a bullet to the head over a man any day._

Anne refused to close her eyes, glaring at the guard as he advanced upon her. He swung his machete backwards and Anne braced herself for the end. She hadn't imagined going out in such a way... but it was still better than most of the demises the wasteland had to offer.

_Bring it, you bastard._

The blow was about to fall when bullets burst straight through the man's chest, rendering him a bloody heap as he fell to the ground with an agonized cry. Anne blinked twice, wondering if she was beginning to hallucinate due to blood loss. A flash of black and white plaid later, and Benny was by her side, pistol in hand.

_I'm definitely hallucinating._

"Pussycat, this is no time for catnapping."

Anne stared at Benny's dirtied face, mouth slightly agape.

"You... came back for me," she breathed, hardly believing the words herself. She watched as he recovered the rifle from the man's corpse. He seemed to have acquired a great deal of red upon his jacket since she last saw him, and yet, Anne marveled at how his hair still looked remarkably untouched.

"Nah, don't flatter yourself, baby, I was just passing through." He gave a signature wink, and Anne managed a weak smile at her own words being thrown back at her.

"You must be getting soft."

"Funny, I ain't ever had a broad complain about that problem before."

Anne's smile faded into a grimace as another wave of pain overwhelmed her, causing her to double over. It was getting bad, and fast. She was beginning to feel numb from her hips downwards, and it scared her more than she'd like to admit.

Benny bent down to urgently tug on her elbow. "Come on, baby. Up and at 'em!"

She nodded as he hefted her with his hands beneath her arms, aiding her to her feet once again. Anne stumbled, nearly collapsing as she cursed under her breath, but Benny caught her as she unintentionally leaned all of her weight into him.

"Whoa, nice and easy does it..." he said, slipping a supportive arm around her waist. "I think it's high time we split."

"We need to find Arcade."

"Who?"

"My doctor friend."

Though it was dark, she could still see the definition of a frown upon his features. "Replaced me already, eh?"

"Not exactly. He's at the docks. If we can make it there..." she trailed off, words failing her through the shock that wracked her system.

"Blow on the dice, baby. We're gonna need all the luck we can get if we wanna make it out of here in one piece."

He handed her a pistol, and she accepted the weapon with us much thanks as she could muster. They carried onwards down the hill, with Benny half-running and half-supporting Anne as she limped alongside him. In any other situation she would have insisted that she walk on her own, but she wasn't about to complain in her current state. Soldiers were swarming in every direction, like a beehive that had been rattled by an unsuspecting kid with a baseball bat. They'd have to be quick if they were to avoid being stung.

Anne's world was a kaleidoscope of colors and muffled sound as they hastily made their way through the camp and towards the docks, with figures and lit torches whizzing past her in a wild blur. She aided Benny in the fray here and there, surprised that her marksmanship wasn't half bad. Things seemed clearer somehow, like tunnel vision. She attributed it to the adrenaline rushing through her in order to compensate for her rapidly failing lucidity.

They were only a few meters from their destination when Benny released a cry, and Anne turned her head just in time to see a bullet rip through the fleshy part of his upper arm. She squinted and fired at the offender, downing the soldier with a shot below the belt. Just for good measure, she put a couple more bullets into him once he was on the ground.

"Geesh, baby," Benny winced. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"You're already on it. You gonna be okay?"

Anne's gaze fell upon his injury, as more bloodstains oozed into his once-flawless jacket.

"These degenerates'll have to do a lot better," he said, voice a bit strained. "And besides, I think I see your pally."

Sure enough, green bolts of plasma were issuing from the docks, illuminating Arcade's figure in the distance as he downed the incoming soldiers. He seemed to be holding up rather well given the circumstances, though Anne noted that his normally slicked back hair was disheveled, as several blonde curls had sprung over his forehead. As they came within his line of sight, Arcade's face fell, looking just as wounded in spirit as she felt in body.

"Oh my dear God..."

Anne wasn't sure if it was in reaction to her injuries, or the fact that she had a new companion in tow... or both, but he definitely didn't look pleased at seeing her in such a state.

"Whatever happened to 'in and out'?" he asked, barely concealing the annoyance in his tone. His eyes immediately fell upon her bloodied side.

"Oh, you know how I am," remarked Anne tiredly. "I'm a sucker for taking the scenic route."

"And apparently taking in strays," Arcade muttered. Benny apparently didn't hear the quip as he transferred Anne's weight over to Arcade, who in turn aided her into the nearest longboat.

"We need to leave. _Now_." Arcade jumped into the boat and was about to push off the docks when Benny stepped in, and the doctor threw him quite the glare. If looks could kill, Anne swore that Benny should have been six feet under at that moment.

_Woulda come in handy back in Goodsprings._

"Excuse me," he started, his tone hitting a higher pitch in annoyance. "But just what do you think you're doing?"

"Comin' with you." Benny shrugged and then grimaced, agitating the hole in his shoulder. "You got a problem with that, pally?"

"To be blunt, yes."

"Nice to meet you, too. Hey, babydoll, is he always such a party pooper?"

"Pretty much."

Benny glanced nervously over his shoulder, as shouting was still quite audible in the distance. "Uh, not to be the Johnny raincloud in this happy little reunion, but we're about to have a whole gang of Legion boys tailin' us."

Arcade rolled his eyes heavenward. "I've got an idea. Just… get in the damn boat."

Benny didn't hesitate as he settled himself next to Anne, and Arcade pushed them off the docks and began to row the tiny vessel out onto the shadowy lake. Along the shoreline, a handful of soldiers were already honing in on them and firing bullets their way, causing them to duck and dodge occasionally.

Arcade waited until they were a few meters away before producing a stick of dynamite from one of his labcoat pockets, causing Anne's fair eyebrows to raise in utter surprise.

"Wow," she managed with a sardonic laugh. "And here I thought you were just happy to see me."

"I hope I don't regret this…" Arcade ignored her remark and rifled through his pockets, apparently searching for a match or some means of lighting the item.

"Hey, pally." Benny pulled his prized lighter from within his jacket pocket and flipped open the lid. Anne wasn't sure how he managed to get the item back, but she held her breath, anticipating how he'd react. He released a deep sigh, reluctantly offering the fuse-end of the stick to Benny. It crackled as it ignited and Arcade mumbled a brief thanks, holding the dynamite gingerly in his fingertips.

"Okay, here we go!"

He aimed and chucked it in the direction of the docks, quite luckily having it land right on target. Arcade covered his ears, and a moment later, the shoreline erupted in an impressive display of wood chunks and hellfire. If the boats nestled along the docks weren't effectively destroyed, they would at least be out of commission for a while due to being set aflame.

_Ata boy, Arcade._

The setback to the Legion would, at the very least, buy them some much-needed time and put some distance between the soldiers that were sure to be following them. Half-propped against the side of the boat and half leaning against Benny, Anne focused her attention upon her wound. Her hands were slick with blood as she pulled them away from her abdomen, and she tried not to make noise as she hissed softly through the pain. Still, it appeared to be enough to alert Benny's attention, his expression softening as he glanced between her and Arcade.

"Hey, doc, she's in a bad way."

"Alright, let's have a look..."

He came to kneel beside her, and Anne felt Arcade roll up her shirt to expose the wound, examining it gently as she bit back a groan. He pressed his hands to the bullet hole and frowned deeply at the blood flowing forth through his fingers.

"Guess I'll take over the boat," said Benny, already getting himself situated.

Arcade looked doubtful as he shifted beside Anne, his nimble fingers gingerly poking and prodding at her.

"Do you even know how to maneuver one of these things?"

"Pally, it's a boat. I think I can manage."

"Right, because you've clearly managed just _fine_ so far." Arcade gestured to Anne with a tilt of his head, his brow furrowing. Benny stood his ground, eyes narrowing dangerously and looking very much like he wanted to club someone with one of the boat oars.

"Hey, don't be eyeballin' me like that. I brought her back in one piece, didn't I?"

"If by 'one piece' you mean 'ridden with bullet holes', then you're a man of your word. But I guess that shouldn't really come as a surprise to me."

Benny opened his mouth to retort, but Anne's voice cut through the tension lingering in the air like a knife.

"Godammit, boys!"

Two pairs of eyes, one blue and one brown, suddenly had Anne's full attention as she clutched at her side. She felt like utter _shit_. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been in such excruciating pain. At least when she'd been shot in the head, twice , she hadn't felt much upon impact. Anne was trying her best to keep it cool and not break in front of them. However, their behavior was making it rather difficult for her at the current moment. It was flattering that Arcade was attempting to defend her, despite her less-than-admirable choices... but she simply couldn't tolerate it.

"I'm going to make this clear right now," Anne managed through gritted teeth. "If I die, I don't want the two of you bitching at each other to be the last thing I hear. Zip your pants up and save your little locker-room comparison for later."

Arcade pursed his lips and Benny scowled, but they both remained silent.

"Much better. Now, how bad is it?"

"The bullets went straight through," Arcade said, his tone grave. "You're losing a lot of blood."

Benny's gaze was glued to the bloody scene before him. "Can you do somethin', doc?"

_Oh, suddenly he cares?_

"Of course he can." Anne forced a smile, for Arcade's sake more than hers. He returned the favor in the faintest of ways. "You've gotten me out of worse scrapes, right buddy?"

"Normally I'd have more equipment available, but I'll do my best. Keep putting pressure on it, Anne..."

Guided by moonlight, he opened up his doctor's bag and began working as Anne tried to focus her attention on anything but the pain. She dazedly watched the stars swirl overhead in the remarkably clear sky. When was the last time she'd actually taken the time to look at them? For so long, she had dreamed of being something like a star... something everlasting, burning brilliantly in the sky for all to see and providing inspiration to those who dared to follow their ambitions...

_But even stars have to burn out one day, don't they?_

In her current state, she doubted that she'd even make it back to Vegas alive. She knew that the odds were stacked against her, despite her own reassurance that she'd be all right. She'd survived worse, true, but wasn't about to believe that she could keep tempting fate and come out unscathed every time.

_Play with fire, and eventually you get burned._

Her thoughts, as well as her body, were growing colder as Arcade did his best to staunch her bleeding and patch her up. Time seemed null in her daze. Before Anne could prevent it or even realize it, she was shivering uncontrollably, her teeth chattering as a harsh iciness washed through her veins. Arcade was saying something to her, urging her to remain alert, but she could only half hear him... the world was blurring into a strange oblivion, and it was warm and inviting, like neon lights welcoming her after an arduous journey...

Through the darkness, she saw a face blur above her. She thought that it was Arcade, but as she squinted her eyes to better focus, she saw that it was Benny.

"Hey, pussycat. Hangin' in there?"

His voice seemed far away, like a distant and unobtainable dream.

"It's fucking cold," was all that she managed to mumble, her eyelids suddenly feeling as heavy as lead.

"Here." She watched Benny as removed his thoroughly soiled jacket and then draped it over her as a makeshift blanket. He lingered over her for a moment or two. "It's ruined anyways. This is some 18-karat run of bad luck you've been having."

_No thanks to you._

Anne was suddenly fixated on his handsome features as the stars reflected in the pools of his chestnut eyes, both beautiful and somehow ominous. It was because of him that she'd gotten into such a mess... and she couldn't decide whether to be resentful or thankful for it. She wasn't sure if she'd even have the chance to properly decide...

Hanging precariously in the limbo between the waking world and unconsciousness, an ironic quote consumed her thoughts, taking her back to Goodsprings and her shallow grave...

_"The game was rigged from the start."_

The words haunted her, chilling her to the core as Anne finally allowed herself to succumb to the void... and somehow, through the obscurity, things had never seemed so clear.

* * *

**AN:** If by any chance you thought that Benny was OOC in this chapter... well, just hold that thought until the next chapter, yeah?


	7. Darn That Dream

**AN: Hey, all! This chapter is pretty short... but I think I got the general mood across that I wanted. Only two more chapters after this as far as I have planned. It's the home stretch! Who's still reading this? I haven't been getting a lot of feedback, so _please_, let me know what you think. I am always open to reviews, both praise and constructive criticism. It's vital as an author and without it, I have absolutely no way of gauging how I'm doing.  
**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Oh, and check out my profile for a link to an AMAZING artwork that one of my lovely friends has drawn of Anne and Benny!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 7. Darn That Dream**

Coming back into the waking world, Anne felt as if her eyelids had been Wonderglued shut.

Gray eyes fluttered, and she took in the dark and rather dank scenery. Whatever was beneath her wasn't hard, not wood or solid ground... so she supposed that was a start, and definitely a good thing that she was currently resting in a bed. Someone was looking after her. Upon further inspection, she noticed dirtied privacy curtains on either side of her, and the room that she was in seemed relatively sterile in comparison to typical wasteland establishments.

_I'm in a medical facility. Either that or heaven has some fucking awful interior decorators. _

She groggily managed to sit upright, and instantaneously felt a sharp pain jolt through her side.

_Nope, definitely still alive._

Anne groaned, wrapping her arms around her heavily bandaged waist, and felt a stabbing sensation in the crook of her arm. She examined her elbow to see an IV delivering fluids into her body. The sight sickened her. Something about needles had always unnerved her, and she was just about ready to yank it out herself when she heard footsteps approaching. A moment later the curtains to her left were pushed aside, revealing an exhausted-looking Arcade. Surprise was apparent upon his features, followed by relief.

"Anne! Hey, don't move around too much, alright? Let me get that out for you..."

"Thanks," she said, her hoarse tone startling her a bit. It felt like she hadn't used her voice in ages.

_How long have I been out?_

Anne squinted her eyes. Arcade was still a bit blurred as he sat beside her on the bed and gingerly removed the IV from her arm, but her vision was slowly but surely coming back into focus.

"Where are we?" she asked, idly scratching her arm once the IV was removed.

"A Followers safehouse, not too far from Lake Mead. I got you here as soon as I could. You lost a lot of blood... but the doctors here have done a fantastic job. They've had you under constant observation."

"... and how long has that been exactly?"

"Two days."

_Damn._

His blue eyes seemed to darken, and Anne's heart actually wrenched in her chest. He could lie all he wanted, but she knew that it was Arcade who'd been watching over her constantly... not some random wasteland Follower. She knew him better than that, how he'd likely insisted that he take sole responsibility in her care-taking. It was no wonder he looked so beat.

He shifted, adjusting his glasses. "For a minute there, I thought you weren't going to pull through... but I guess I should have known better by now."

The corner of his mouth tugged into a brief smile, and Anne knew what he must have been thinking.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Lucky me."

Shot in the head, bullets in her gut... It was all the same since she and Benny had crossed paths, just one near-death experience after another.

_Which makes me wonder..._

"Where's Benny?"

Her words lingered, stagnant in the musty air. She immediately regretted her question, actually feeling sheepish as Arcade regarded her sadly. If expressions could speak volumes, then Arcade's was an entire encyclopedia. One brief glance and she knew that what he was about to say wasn't good.

"He left, Anne. I'm not sure where he went."

"Oh."

Although Anne had knew his answer before he'd even spoken it, she still felt like a child who'd just been told that their puppy had ran away, even though she was the one who had let him off his leash in the first place.

"Listen, Anne... I hope you don't mind me being completely honest with you. I wanted to wait until you were fully recovered but I really need to get this off my chest."

_A heart-to-heart so soon? Well, this can only end well._

"Fire away, Atlas."

A fleeting smile passed over his features, apparently happy that she'd remembered their earlier conversation, already days ago. Gosh, was that really just days ago? It felt like a cruel eternity. Arcade forced another smile, but it didn't last long. He remained seated beside her, locking his gaze with hers and looking quite stern.

"We've had some good times, you and I," he started. "But... after what's happened... after The Fort... I'm just simply not sure where I stand in all of this, or if I have anywhere to stand at all. You're caught up in something big here, Anne. Hell, after everything with Benny, you're practically right in the middle of it. I'll escort you back to Vegas but I think I need some time. I hope you understand."

Anne nodded, feeling rather numb. She wasn't sure if it was due to the drugs swimming through her system, or her emotions getting the best of her, but she felt euthanized, dead inside. She didn't know what to feel, or if she felt anything at all.

"Yeah," she said, barely finding her voice. "I understand."

"Well, thanks," he said. "I appreciate it."

An awkward silence fell between them, and Anne suddenly felt quite naked. Vulnerable. Cold, even. Her fingers clutched tightly at the blankets gathered about her waist. A million thoughts were swimming through her fuddled brain, and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with them, so instead she settled for staring blankly into space. She had known for a long time that Arcade disapproved of her behavior, as well as the manner in which she hoped to achieve an Independent Vegas. That was no shock. But what she hadn't considered was how much hell she'd put him through, all on her account. It wasn't fair, and she knew it... but admitting it to herself was something else entirely.

Arcade's expression softened, looking rather remorseful as the silence was broken.

"Are you in pain? Can I get you some Med-X?"

"No, I'm fine." She lied. Drugs couldn't help her in her current state. She doubted that anything could. Her body was aching, but she didn't want her head any less clear than it already was.

_I dug my own grave. Time to suck it up and deal._

"Are you sure?"

She reached out and patted his hand, cupping her palm over it with the most sincere smile she could possibly muster. If nothing else, she was a fantastic actress. Arcade would never know how badly she felt that she'd fucked up their entire friendship, their plans for an independent Vegas... how guilty she was over making him constantly worry for her life in her own selfish ways... or even how much she valued him as a companion. She never was good with the sentimental stuff, so the best she could do was lie to his face, and mask her raw emotions.

"Arcade, really. I'll be okay. Don't worry about me, alright? I've had a lot worse."

"Right. Silly me, how could I forget?"

She couldn't even look at him. Anne was disgusted with herself, with everything she'd let slip through her fingers like grains of sand in an hourglass. She was doomed to be a lone grain after all.

"Some water would be nice, though," she said, as a pathetic excuse to get him away from her. She wanted some privacy to mull in the dark place that she'd buried herself into and try to find a way to dig herself out of it once again.

"Of course. I'll be right back."

Arcade disappeared behind the curtain once again, and Anne's gaze drifted before falling upon the empty chair in the corner of the room. To her surprise, Benny's bloodstained jacket was draped over it. Her mind suddenly flashed an image of the starlit sky swirling in his eyes before she'd lost consciousness.

_Benny came back for me. Doesn't that mean anything? _

But then, her foreboding thoughts returned, the last thing she remembered before drifting into a painless oblivion.

_"The game was rigged from the start."_

As the words resurfaced, an awful thought occurred to her, heart racing in her chest. Although pain bit deeply into her side, Anne gently swung her legs over the edge of the bed, clutching at the sheets as her bare feet made contact with the wooden floor. When she was certain that she had some balance, she took an awkward step forward and wobbled as all of the blood in her body seemed to rush to her head. When the sense of vertigo passed, she limped over to the corner of the room. The pain searing through her was immense as she fought a wave of nausea, and Arcade would likely lecture her about getting the necessary rest.. but she didn't care. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

Settling upon the vacant chair where Benny's jacket and her personal affects were gently laid, she rifled through her pockets one-by-one and frantically searched for the one thing that she had left to her name. As her fingers brushed along the barren contents of her pockets, Anne truly did feel ill. Her stomach flipped and churned, and she urged herself not to vomit.

_Oh my God._

The Platinum chip was _gone_.

Benny had upped the ante once again, with the all-powerful card of deceit up his sleeve. Anne felt as if she'd played out her last hand, and her winnings couldn't possibly outweigh all that she'd lost. Her mind was reeling. She was just another means to an end , and getting her out of the fort alive was an assurance of the safety of the chip. He probably thought that she'd just die anyways. No loose ends, just like he'd always wanted.

_He's just playing the game... all this time. That's all it ever was. And what have I got to show for it?  
_

Benny had fled once again and Arcade was soon to leave her. She had nothing but her own condolences that she had done the right thing, the decent thing… despite the staggering consequences of her actions. But what had decency got her, except for bullets in her flesh and heartache tearing her chest apart?

_I thought I was a Queen, but I was just a joker all along._

Lacking the energy to even get back into bed, Anne slumped to the floor, cradling her aching head in her hands as she clutched at Benny's checked jacket. Left with nothing but broken dreams and promises of a tomorrow that would never come, she allowed tears to spill from her tired gray eyes... the first time she could recall in years.


	8. These Foolish Things

**AN: Hey everyone, I am so very sorry for the delay in finishing this. Inspiration is a funny thing, and it's been coming and going in spurts for me. But I hope the delay hasn't lost any of my loyal readers, and that you enjoy the last installment of this piece of fiction. Chapters 8 and 9 were originally supposed to be one massive chapter, but I've broken them down into two separate ones for easier reading. As always, your feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**These Foolish Things**

The trek back to Vegas seemed to take a cruel eternity. Arcade, who was normally chatty and somewhat content, was quiet and morose since Anne's brief time regaining her health at the Follower's safe house.

Her recovery period should have lasted a few more days, but Anne had insisted that she was fit to make the journey back to the strip. Arcade attempted to dissuade her from going back so soon, as was expected of a friend and care-taker... but he should have known better than to argue with her.

Since she had made the decision to track down Benny one last time, Arcade wouldn't look her in the eye the way he used to, and Anne couldn't help but feel a little guilty for it.

_But can I blame him? _

There came a time where a person had to weigh the outcome of their decisions and at the current moment, it seemed that Arcade was getting the short end of the stick.

In the heat of the sweltering mid-day sun as they traversed the harsh desert of the Mojave about a mile outside of Freeside, their shadows were elongated and warped beside them. Anne stared at them for a little while, her thoughts swimmingly sluggishly through her mind until they settled like a stick in the mud... unsurprisingly, upon Benny. Despite how hard she tried to suppress them, thoughts of the man kept resurfacing, and she could tolerate the silence no longer.

"Hey, Arcade. Mind if I ask you a personal question?"

There was a pause in which the blonde doctor sighed, shifting the bag of belongings slung over his shoulder. He was actually carrying much more than she was, as he'd insisted that it would only aggravate her injuries.

_Always looking out for me. Why can't I do the same? _

"Has my answer ever stopped you before?"

"Well, no. But I was just wondering, have you ever been serious with anyone?"

"I think by now you should realize that I'm not the most serious kind of guy, for _anyone_."

Anne looked at him to gauge his expression, noticing the faintest of smiles playing upon his lips. "Oh, you were being sarcastic."

_Surprise, surprise._

"Nothing gets past you." Just like that, his smile had faded. "But to answer your question, there have been a few good men along the way. Most of the serious ones were a long time ago, though. And few of them ended well."

"Do you ever regret them?"

Another pause, this time a bit longer as Arcade pursed his lips.

"Focusing on the regrets of our past is hardly productive to our present endeavors. Believe me, I know," he said. "But occasionally, I do wish that I'd done things differently... I mean, who doesn't? It's just basic human nature to second-guess the choices we make."

Anne wasn't used to the concept of wanting to rewrite her decisions . She was the kind of woman who took life for what it was, an open book filled with pages of both the good and the bad. Never had she been so conflicted regarding her actions. But then again, she'd never screwed up so badly. Not that she could recall, at least.

When it came down to it, she just didn't want Benny to be the biggest regret of her life because of her poor judgment. The way she saw it, she was following a path that could very well be her greatest failure or the best damned thing to ever happen to her. And she hated it.

"But this isn't about me is it...?" When Anne was silent, Arcade made a small noise at the back of his throat as he cleared it, having apparently caught on to where their conversation was leading. He turned to face her, his blue eyes focusing on her gray ones. There was a softness there, and she could tell that he was speaking to her not as someone who was superior or wiser... but as a trusted friend.

Her heart gave a little clench in her chest. It was more then she felt she deserved.

"Listen, Anne... I'll be entirely honest with you. I think you need Benny like you need another bullet to your head, and I think you're crazy for going after him again. But I can't control what you do. By God, if there's one thing I've learned by now, it's that you're as stubborn as a brahmin."

"So I've been told." She rolled her eyes. "So, you think it's a pretty bad idea?"

"I don't know what to think any more, but I do know that you're caught up in the middle of something big here. I've got enough sense to admit to myself that... I really _don't_ have a place in all of this. Maybe you're digging your own grave, maybe you're not. As much as I resist the use of cliche metaphor in this context, who am I to say until your last hand has played out?"

Anne's hands balled into fists. "I just... I can't walk away from what I've started. I might have a chance for Vegas here, Arcade. But the only way for me to achieve that is through Benny."

"Stranger things have happened, I suppose," he shrugged. "Let's just hope it's a reunion that doesn't involve bullets this time, eh?"

At last, they arrived at The Strip's north gate, and Anne soaked up the familiar sights and sounds. The ambling patrons, the Securitrons lining the strip, the jazzy music playing lazily in the background... she'd forgotten how much she'd missed the place over the course of the last week. Had it really been that long already? Her life seemed a wild blur since Benny had reentered the scene.

A few minutes later, and they came to stand near the steps leading up to the Lucky 38, where they both paused, and a bit of an awkward silence ensued for a few brief moments before Arcade cleared the air.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways," he sighed. "I'm going to head back up to the suite to gather my things. Sorry I won't be escorting you to The Tops... but... well, you know."

Anne winked, exuding a confidence that she didn't necessarily feel. "Hey, no worries. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."

"I'm sure you can."

Truth be told, she was surprised that he'd stayed with her for as long as he did. She was painfully aware of the fact that not many people would have tolerated as much as he did... but deep down, she appreciated every single moment of Arcade's companionship.

_More than he'll ever know._

But Anne was far too prideful to admit such a fact. Outwardly, at least.

"So, I suppose I'll see you around?" Arcade awkwardly put a palm out for her to shake, idly scratching at the back of his head with his other hand. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at goodbyes."

Anne took his hand, but instead of pulling him into a handshake, she stood on her tip-toes to plant a gentle kiss upon his cheek.

_Probably the most platonic kiss I've ever given a guy.  
_

When she pulled away, there was the faintest blush upon his cheeks. It suited him somehow. He adjusted his glasses upon the bridge of his nose, and Anne couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that he didn't quite seem to know how to react to her.

"Hey, Arcade..." the next words were difficult to say, but she forced them out nonetheless. She couldn't just leave without at least _trying_ to express her appreciation. Anne had never been good at such things, either. "Thanks. You know, for everything."

Her words had at least earned another smile from him, and that was good enough for her.

"I hope you find what you're looking for," he said softly.

"Yeah, you too."

"And if you need anything... anything at all, you know where to find me. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"You'll be the first one I call the next time I get pumped full of bullets."

Arcade chuckled. "Looking forward to it."

"See you around, Arcade."

"Goodbye, Anne."

As she watched him retreat through the doors of the Lucky 38, she smiled a little to herself, heart heavy and anxious all at once. It was like that old saying went... "when one door closes, another one opens." Anne just hoped that the door to The Tops Casino was the right one.

* * *

A short stroll later and Anne found herself walking through the double-doors of The Tops. She played it as cool as she could with the anticipation of confronting Benny again making her heart pound loudly in her ears.

Her gaze fell upon the front desk, searching for anyone who might be able to give her information on where Benny may currently be. The greeter probably wouldn't tell her, he was never much use. No, she needed someone else... someone more likely to fall under the spell of her charms...

Anne crossed the main casino floor, stepping among the blinking slot machines and hazy, smoke-filled air. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure emerging from one of the side rooms connecting to the main level.

_Speak of the devil. _

She casually redirected her path towards Swank, giving a little wave as he caught her eye.

"Baby! Welcome back to The Tops! I'm assumin' you heard the good news?"

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"Benny's back! Hey, I'll clue you in. Walk with me?"

He offered an elbow, which Anne took gratefully as she linked arms with him as they strolled around the casino. She decided to play stupid and go along with it. If nothing else, Anne was a fantastic actress.

"Sure thing. So, your good old boss is back?"

"You betcha, dollface. I told everyone he'd come around! Sometimes a cat just needs room to swing!"

"He was gone for a pretty long time. What happened exactly?"

Swank's expression turned quite serious, and he patted her hand in a consoling kind of gesture. "Boss said he got ganged up on by a bunch of Fiends outside the strip. They held him captive and threatened to tear down Vegas... I knew he shouldn't have done business with those no good punks! He escaped but he was hurt pretty bad, shoulder had a nice hole in it, but we patched him up real fine, and he'll be right as rain in no time."

"Fiends, huh?" Anne resisted the urge to laugh out loud at the tale.

_Oh, Benny... you lying little shit.  
_

"Well," she gave a dramatic sigh, placing a hand to hear heart. "I'm glad he got out alive. So, where is he now?"

"Gee, baby, probably resting in his suite. We're takin' care of everything until he's back on his feet. Boss has been through a lot! He needs his rest, ya dig?"

"I definitely dig, sugar, but we've got some unfinished _business _if you catch my drift." She winked suggestively, and Swank regarded her with a blank expression before her words sunk in, and his mouth opened slightly in understanding.

"Oh! Sure, sure, babydoll, I read ya loud and clear. I'm sure he'll want to see you after all he's been through." Swank flashed her a mischievous grin as she unlinked her arm from his. "You know where his suite is. Just go on up!"

Anne squeezed his bicep gently, gracing him with a pretty smile. "Thanks, darling."

She swaggered off towards the elevator, casting a glance over her shoulder as Swank's eyes were glued to her retreating form. In all his excitement, he hadn't even bothered to check her for any holdout weapons.

_This is going to be easier than I thought... _


	9. All or Nothing at All

**AN: Well, here it is guys and dolls... the last chapter of Anne and Benny's love story. Well, except for the epilogue, which I'll have up very soon. I hope it doesn't disappoint. I had a crazy amount of fun writing this story, and I have some one-shots planned if any of you would like to continue reading about them. Please enjoy, and let me know what you think! If ever you wanted to leave a review, now would be the time as I wrap things up. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading! Your support means the world to me :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**All or Nothing at All  
**

Anne took the elevator up to the 13th floor, unsurprised that it still took a painstakingly long time to reach its destination. She soon found herself outside of Benny's suite, and memories of her last time there started swimming through her head so quickly that she thought she might drown in nostalgia.

_My, my, how things have changed. Except.. not really. Still without the chip, still getting shot at. I'm starting to see a pattern here._

She opened one of the double doors with little difficulty, concealed 9mm drawn, as she still had his room key handy from the last time around. As silently as possible, she slunk in, closing the door behind her. Glancing around, things seemed relatively unchanged. Still neat and tidy, still with the faint aroma of pricey cigarettes and crappy cologne, and she even noticed a few missing belongings that she'd shattered during her last visit in her anger.

As she tread lightly into the main living area, she turned her head just in time to see Benny entering from his bedroom. She couldn't have stopped the grin from lighting up her features if she'd tried.

"Miss me, tiger?"

Benny actually jumped, his dark eyes narrowing into a glare as she stopped dead in his tracks, holding a palm to his eyes immediately fell upon the gun in her grasp.

"What in the goddamn-?"

He looked genuinely surprised to see her.

In the brief moment that he hesitated, Anne allowed her eyes to take him in. The bruises upon his face were less apparent now, and a healing shade of green rather than a bright purple. She also noted that his arm was in a sling, the after-effects of the bullet he'd taken at the fort. Surprisingly, he wasn't wearing any form of jacket, merely a half-unbuttoned dress shirt and black slacks, with his tie hanging loosely around his neck.

"You just don't stay down, do you?" he said, suddenly more amused than upset. He was looking her over, too, his eyes grazing up and down her figure.

_Guess some things never change._

Hips swaying, she made her way over to him. "Sorry to disappoint. You of all people should know by now that it takes more than a couple of bullets to keep me dead and buried."

"So what is this now, pussycat, your 7th life out of nine?"

"That's the great thing about cats, Benny..." she said, her voice smooth as velvet. "They keep coming back. And they _never_ forget the ones who wronged them."

Benny stood his ground, but his eyes were flitting back and forth. Anne could tell that he was looking around for a weapon, though he tried not to let it show too obviously. She had the advantage. He was unarmed, caught off-guard and injured, to boot. He also had the disadvantage of actually trusting her at such close contact, especially with a gun.

_Big mistake. Not goin' easy on you this time._

"Is that so?"

"You betcha. And I think we have some _business_ to talk about."

Anne closed the distance between them, tugging at his tie and grappling him closer to her before urging him backwards against the nearest wall. Gun pointed at his chest, Benny laughed as she cornered him.

"Business? If you think I'm about to share Vegas with you just because you let me off the hook a couple times... you're dreamin', baby."

So that was how it was going to be, huh? Willingly giving her the keys to Vegas in the face of his own death, but once he'd cheated the grim reaper, he was back to being a selfish bastard.

_You can't always have your cake and eat it, too. That's my job._

"No," she said with a false sweetness to her tone as she patted him on the cheek with her free hand. "I think you're going to play nice because if you don't, I'll hurt you."

"Hah! I'll believe it when I see it-"

Without further hesitation, Anne punched him square in the mouth, forcing his head sideways from the impact.

"God damn it, that felt good." She paused to shake the sting out of her fist. "You know, I was fantasizing about doing that the whole trip here."

Benny shook it off, setting his jaw as he smirked and licked some of the blood from his lip."Baby, if you wanted to play rough... you could have just asked."

Her anger only just beginning to boil, Anne took another swing to his midsection.

_You had this comin'._

At that little move, Benny gasped, the air knocked out of his lungs as he doubled over in pain. Before he could right himself, Anne grabbed a fistful of his hair and tugged him upwards to look him in the eye. He still managed to grin in the face of her ire. His composure wasn't breaking... _yet_. But she'd be damned if she couldn't change that.

"I'm fucking tired of playing cat and mouse with you. We settle this and we settle it now."

"And miss seeing how cute you are when you're angry?" he said, voice strained. "Nah, let me live a little."

She held him steady against the wall with a death glare. His eyes matched hers in intensity, and it took all her strength not to kiss him. Images of the cramped little tent at the Fort resurfaced, and she felt herself losing control. Her magnetic attraction to him had been her undoing since day one.

_Don't break. Don't let him get to you. Keep the upper hand._

No more pissing around. Anne's gaze momentarily fell upon his shoulder, remembering where the bullet had ripped through him as he aided her out of Legion territory. She'd felt bad at the time, but now she wished that he'd gotten a few more holes in him. That could certainly be arranged, but she figured she'd have a bit more fun first.

Benny's brow furrowed, anticipating what she was going to do next. With a wicked grin, Anne began pressing the tip of her gun directly onto his wounded shoulder. _That_ certainly got a response out of him. He elicited a noise that was halfway between a groan and a whimper as she pressed harder, his teeth gritted against the pain.

"God damn it," he breathed. "You sick, vindictive, _bitch_. Fuck you!"

"Already did, tiger. If you think that hurts, I'm just gettin' started."

Though he played it keen as always, Anne could see the pain flowing in his eyes, and they looked a bit more watery than usual.

"I don't think I'm asking for much," she said, only lessening her pressure slightly. "A little credit where it's due? I mean, it was nice of you to create a convenient story for Swank. Fiends, _really_? He actually believed that bullshit?"

"Cool it, baby. I ain't ever claimed that Swank's got the brains to back up his reputation," Benny mumbled. "But he's straight. True blue."

"Still, lying through your teeth to your best pal? Damn, if only he knew." Anne uttered a little_ tsk tsk_, wagging a finger at him. "You're up here livin' the high life, pulling the rug right from under their feet and they're still waiting on you like a king. Must be nice. And don't even get me started on the fact that you completely painted _me_ out of the picture..."

"I'm doing what's best for this town, baby. So what, that's all you got on me? A little stretchin' the truth and tying up lose ends?"

"I don't think you understand, Benny. Here's what's going to happen. We take Vegas together... or I spill on how you backstabbed your buddies. Capiche?"

"Go ahead and tattle," he scoffed. "See if I care."

Anne had the distinctive feeling that despite how highly spoke of the Chairmen, they wouldn't be opposed to cutting him lose if they caught wind of his foul play.

_Only one way to find out..._

"Oh, so you wouldn't mind if I switched that on?" Anne released him, gesturing over to the intercom mounted on his wall very close to them. "It would be a shame if everyone in the casino could hear your little plans for Vegas. All your hard work gone to waste..."

Benny froze, forcing a laugh as he rubbed his shoulder. "You're bluffin', baby. You wouldn't dare."

"You don't know me very well, do you?" Anne casually pressed the button of the intercom, leaning in a bit closer as she spoke directly into it. "What was that, Benny? I couldn't hear you over the sweet sound of victory."

Benny grabbed her by the wrist, forcefully pulling her away from the device, but Anne was laughing. If she wasn't mistaken, he was starting to sweat.

"Women are bad news," he spat, tightening his grip. "You've got a real way of makin' things complicated."

Anne smirked, a blonde eyebrow raised. "Some guys like complicated."

"Well, I don't. Not this far into the game."

"It would have been end-game for you a long time ago if it weren't for me. You're just too afraid to admit it.

"I'd get along just _fine_ without you."

"Oh, is that so? Because I'd love to see you go ahead and try."

_You're just a pawn. And I'm the queen._

Benny's eyes were narrowed_, _choosing not to reply to her comment. He seemed to be mulling things over_.  
_

"So, what do you say, Ben-Man? Your partnership in return for my silence. Seems pretty fair and square to me. All past grievances forgotten."

"You drive a hard bargain, baby. But... I guess if you're goin' the route of blackmail, I got no choice." His lips curled into a faint smile as he released her wrist in favor of snaking his arm around her waist. "Besides, it's always keen to have a broad around to blame if things should go wrong."

Anne poked the gun at his chest, directly at his heart. "You know, I could just take the easy way out and kill you."

"I know you wouldn't," he said, leaning in close to her neck and sending shivers down her spine. "Because you need me to see this shindig through to the end."

_I'll admit it when I'm dead._

He began kissing the sensitive skin of her collarbone, and she resisted the urge to release a satisfied sigh. Caught off guard by Benny's advances, Anne hadn't quite expected him to swiftly grab her pistol from within her grasp.

_Shit!_

She didn't even have time to fight for it, her heart jumping in her chest at the sudden turn of events. She was about to throw another punch when, to her great surprise, he cast it to the side with a cocky grin.

"No need for violence, eh, baby?"

Anne couldn't help but return the smile.

"Just make me a promise," she said, with a roll of the eyes. "No backing out, no matter how messy it gets."

"You've got my word, baby." Benny pouted when Anne didn't look convinced. "What, you don't trust me? I'm hurt."

"I swear to God, Benny, if you go back on your word... "

"You'll what?" He challenged her. Anne saw a fire in his deep brown eyes, and she longed to extinguish it.

She pressed her body against his, tugging him by the collar of his shirt so that she could breathe into his ear. She felt goosebumps forming at the base of his neck, where her fingers were twisted into his hair.

"I will go out of my way to make your life a living hell," she whispered.

"When you're around," he purred, voice low, "isn't it already?"

Benny pulled her closer with his uninjured arm, leaving not an inch between them. Anne felt like she could melt in his sturdy embrace.

_God damn him and his handsome, filthy, charm. He'll be the death of me.  
_

They shared an impassioned kiss as their lips met, and all tension between them dispersed. Her composure was wilting like a dying flower. Anne felt Benny's palm sliding down from her waist, dropping low to cup her backside. Urgency sizzled between them as they ravaged each others mouths.

Anne wanted him, all of him. And all of Vegas, too. Was that so wrong?

She was like a moth to an open flame, longing for the warmth and light however brief, however pleasant, before it got burned and recoiled, but inexplicably came back for more. One day the moth would meet its inevitable doom, wings singed and no longer able to fly. But she wouldn't worry about that for now... for now, the fate of Vegas would have to wait a little while longer before it hailed its new King and Queen.

"So what do you say we take this happy little reunion someplace more... _comfortable_?" Benny said through their lip-lock, turning the charm factor up a notch. His eyes glanced over to the bed, a single eyebrow raised. Palms against the warmth of his chest, Anne couldn't help but grin as she traced a finger down the splotch of chest hair revealed by his half-buttoned shirt.

"I thought we already sealed this deal. Besides, you've only got one good arm."

"That's all I need, pussycat. Other parts of me are functioning just _fine_."

"Well, I know better than to just take your word for it..." She grabbed him by the hand and playfully led him into the bedroom, where she pushed him backwards onto the mattress and into a sitting position. "Prove it, tiger."

"With pleasure, baby..."

Anne situated herself upon his lap as their mouths met once again, and she crushed him towards her. She could feel his fingers grazing against her thigh as he began hiking up her skirt. Benny was under her skin, buried down deeper than a bullet with no hopes of ever extracting it from flesh or bone... but for better or for worse, she kinda liked it that way.

_Finis._


End file.
